Admiralty Head Light is a lighthouse in Island County, Washington. It sits roughly 6.6 km (4.1 mi) S of Coupeville. Its recorded tower height is about 30 m (98 ft). It dates from 1903.
The Admiralty Head Light is a deactivated aid to navigation located on Whidbey Island near Coupeville, Island County, Washington, on the grounds of Fort Casey State Park. The restored lighthouse overlooks Admiralty Inlet. It was the companion to the Point Wilson Light, which sits four miles away on Admiralty Inlet's western shore.From the Wikipedia article “Admiralty Head Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Admiralty Head Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 52° (NE) at the June solstice and 126° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 65° in summer but only 18° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:14 AM | 89° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:11 AM | 52° NE | 9:15 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:59 AM | 126° SE | 4:20 PM | 235° SW | 18° | 8h 21m |
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 | 7:22 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:48 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:20 PM | 8h 48m |
| February | 6:46 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 15m |
| March | 6:54 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:49 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:19 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 40m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:21 PM | 15h 11m |
| June | 4:29 AM | 5:11 AM | 6:00 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:13 PM | 9:55 PM | 16h 03m |
| July | 4:47 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:14 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:08 PM | 9:47 PM | 15h 41m |
| August | 5:32 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:26 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 20m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 6:59 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:13 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:55 PM | 10h 53m |
| November | 6:45 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:07 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 15m |
| December | 7:19 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:49 AM | 3:24 PM | 4:18 PM | 4:55 PM | 8h 23m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Admiralty Head Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through July. May gives the longest window (about 1.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 13° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 3:48 AM – 4:18 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:52 AM – 2:52 AM | 1.0 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:37 AM – 1:37 AM | 1.0 | 13° | S → S |
| July | 11:58 PM – 12:48 AM | 0.8 | 12° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:33 PM – 10:53 PM | 0.3 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.64 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (83%). August is the warmest month and December 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 | 58 | 68 | 69 | 83 | 91 | 91 | 94 | 94 | 93 | 78 | 64 | 58 |
| Low °F | 10 | 15 | 21 | 28 | 36 | 42 | 47 | 46 | 41 | 28 | 15 | 11 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.4 | 4.8 | 5.6 | 3.7 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 5.5 | 8.1 | 6.7 |
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
- Shoot from the beach or a jetty to place the tower against open sky and sea.
- Stormy weather and crashing surf add drama; keep a safe distance from waves on rocks and piers.
- 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.
- 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 Admiralty Head, 1.0 km (0.6 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Admiralty Head Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
State Park
LighthouseLighthouse
State ParkLighthouseLighthouse
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Admiralty Head Light?
What time is golden hour at Admiralty Head Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Admiralty Head Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Admiralty Head Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Admiralty Head Light?
How far is Admiralty Head Light from Coupeville?
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.