Great Wicomico River Light — a lighthouse in Northumberland County, Virginia — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 14.4 km (8.9 mi) NE of Kilmarnock.
The Great Wicomico River Light was a lighthouse located at the mouth of the Great Wicomico River, south of the Potomac River on the western side of the Chesapeake Bay. It was first lit in 1889 and was deactivated in 1967.From the Wikipedia article “Great Wicomico River Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Great Wicomico River Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:10 AM | 90° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:44 AM | 59° ENE | 8:31 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 120° ESE | 4:50 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 33m |
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 | 6:51 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:29 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:39 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:04 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:27 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 12m |
| June | 5:12 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 46m |
| July | 5:25 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 5:53 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:41 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:18 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:23 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 34m |
Local time (America/New York), 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 Great Wicomico River Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:02 AM – 5:22 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:10 AM – 5:40 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:14 AM – 4:54 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:13 AM – 4:03 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:24 PM – 3:44 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:18 PM – 2:18 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:37 PM – 12:17 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 10:14 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:56 PM – 8:16 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.43 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 50% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (60%). July 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 | 66 | 68 | 75 | 85 | 92 | 95 | 99 | 97 | 92 | 92 | 75 | 71 |
| Low °F | 13 | 10 | 17 | 33 | 42 | 54 | 65 | 64 | 54 | 41 | 28 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.4 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 3.4 | 3.7 |
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.
- 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 Great Wicomico River Light, 113 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Great Wicomico River Light, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Great Wicomico River Light?
What time is golden hour at Great Wicomico River Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Great Wicomico River Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Great Wicomico River Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Great Wicomico River Light?
How far is Great Wicomico River Light from Kilmarnock?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, 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.