Point Isabel Lighthouse is a lighthouse in Cameron County, Texas. Its recorded tower height is about 17 m (56 ft). It dates from 1852. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Point (Port) Isabel Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse located in Port Isabel, Texas, United States that was built in 1852 to guide ships through the Brazos Santiago Pass to Port Isabel. The lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 30, 1976. On September 28, 1850, the United States Congress authorized an appropriation of $15,000 for "a lighthouse and beacon light" at Brazos Santiago Pass. Work began in February 1852. When complete, the lighthouse was an 82-foot-high brick tower and had four lights. By 1854, it had 15 lamps and 21 reflectors. A third order fresnel lens was installed in 1857 and the rotating light was varied by flashes.From the Wikipedia article “Point Isabel Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Point Isabel Lighthouse the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 116° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 297° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 87° in summer but only 40° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:34 AM | 90° E | 7:41 PM | 270° W | 64° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:38 AM | 63° ENE | 8:25 PM | 297° WNW | 87° | 13h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:18 AM | 89° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 64° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:13 AM | 116° ESE | 5:43 PM | 244° WSW | 40° | 10h 30m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Lighthouses work at both ends of the day: blue hour when the beacon is lit, and golden hour when white towers take on warm tones.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:54 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:26 PM | 5:59 PM | 6:24 PM | 10h 41m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 17m |
| March | 7:16 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:09 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:43 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:37 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:16 PM | 12h 46m |
| May | 6:19 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 25m |
| June | 6:11 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 46m |
| July | 6:21 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:50 PM | 13h 37m |
| August | 6:38 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 04m |
| September | 6:52 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:35 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 19m |
| October | 7:05 AM | 7:28 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 34m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:21 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 52m |
| December | 6:44 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 31m |
Local time (America/Chicago), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Point Isabel Lighthouse, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 35° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| February | 4:30 AM – 5:40 AM | 1.2 | 22° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:45 AM – 6:15 AM | 2.5 | 31° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:42 AM – 5:42 AM | 4.0 | 35° | SE → S |
| May | 11:44 PM – 5:14 AM | 5.5 | 35° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:53 PM – 5:03 AM | 7.2 | 35° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:52 PM – 3:32 AM | 5.7 | 35° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:28 PM – 1:38 AM | 4.2 | 35° | S → SW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 11:32 PM | 2.7 | 32° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:19 PM – 9:39 PM | 1.3 | 23° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -17° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.1 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 33% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (67%). August is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 87 | 90 | 95 | 100 | 100 | 102 | 100 | 100 | 101 | 99 | 91 | 86 |
| Low °F | 34 | 32 | 39 | 50 | 56 | 71 | 74 | 73 | 66 | 50 | 40 | 36 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 1.7 | 5.4 | 2.4 | 1.7 | 1.2 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this lighthouse
- Many lighthouses are on private or Coast Guard property — check public access and opening hours.
- Moonrise or the Milky Way over the tower makes a classic night composition; plan with the azimuth tables.
- During blue hour, use 5–15 second exposures to capture the beam; check whether the light is still active.
- Shoot from the beach or a jetty to place the tower against open sky and sea.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Summer brings open towers and tours; autumn and winter offer storms, fewer crowds and lower sun angles.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, ND filter for smooth water, Rain cover. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Queen Isabella Causeway (west end), 1.8 km (1.1 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Point Isabel Lighthouse?
What time is golden hour at Point Isabel Lighthouse?
Where does the sun rise and set at Point Isabel Lighthouse?
Can you see the Milky Way from Point Isabel Lighthouse?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Point Isabel Lighthouse?
How far is Point Isabel Lighthouse from Port Isabel?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.