Texas Maritime Museum Light is a lighthouse in Aransas County, Texas. The nearest town is Rockport, about 1.0 km (0.6 mi) away (Texas Maritime Museum Light lies ENE of town). Its recorded tower height is about 14 m (48 ft). It dates from 2003.
Wikidata describes it as: “lighthouse in the United States”.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Texas Maritime Museum Light 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 85° in summer but only 39° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:33 AM | 90° E | 7:40 PM | 271° W | 62° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:33 AM | 63° ENE | 8:28 PM | 297° WNW | 85° | 13h 55m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:17 AM | 89° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 62° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:16 AM | 116° ESE | 5:38 PM | 244° WSW | 39° | 10h 22m |
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 | 6:56 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:21 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:20 PM | 10h 33m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:44 PM | 11h 13m |
| March | 7:15 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:10 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:40 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:18 PM | 12h 50m |
| May | 6:14 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 32m |
| June | 6:06 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 55m |
| July | 6:16 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 45m |
| August | 6:35 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 09m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:34 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 20m |
| October | 7:06 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 31m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:24 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 46m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 23m |
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 Texas Maritime Museum Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 33° 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 | 4:38 AM – 5:38 AM | 1.0 | 20° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:45 AM – 6:15 AM | 2.5 | 30° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:45 AM – 5:35 AM | 3.8 | 33° | SE → S |
| May | 11:49 PM – 5:09 AM | 5.3 | 33° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:00 PM – 4:50 AM | 6.8 | 33° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:58 PM – 3:28 AM | 5.5 | 33° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:32 PM – 1:22 AM | 3.8 | 33° | S → SW |
| September | 8:53 PM – 11:23 PM | 2.5 | 30° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:18 PM – 9:28 PM | 1.2 | 21° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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 ≈ 19.82 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 36% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 90 | 96 | 96 | 103 | 109 | 108 | 108 | 111 | 110 | 100 | 92 | 86 |
| Low °F | 21 | 21 | 27 | 36 | 47 | 65 | 67 | 67 | 53 | 39 | 27 | 25 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 1.3 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 3.5 | 2.3 | 4.5 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 1.6 |
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
- A telephoto from across a bay compresses the tower against cliffs or the moon.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Rockport, 449 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Texas Maritime Museum Light, closest first.
State Park
Ghost Town
Lighthouse
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Texas Maritime Museum Light?
What time is golden hour at Texas Maritime Museum Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Texas Maritime Museum Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Texas Maritime Museum Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Texas Maritime Museum Light?
How far is Texas Maritime Museum Light from Rockport?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata. 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.