Point Wilson Light — a lighthouse in Jefferson County, Washington — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 3.0 km (1.9 mi) N of Port Townsend. Its recorded tower height is about 14 m (46 ft). It dates from 1879. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Point Wilson Light is an active aid to navigation located adjacent to Fort Worden State Park near Port Townsend, Jefferson County, Washington. It is one of the most important navigational aids in the state, overlooking the entrance to Admiralty Inlet, the waterway connecting the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound. The lighthouse was listed on the Washington State Heritage Register and the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.From the Wikipedia article “Point Wilson Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Point Wilson 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) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:12 AM | 52° NE | 9:16 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:11 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 | 6:47 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 15m |
| March | 6:54 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:48 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:49 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:19 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 40m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:21 PM | 15h 11m |
| June | 4:30 AM | 5:11 AM | 6:00 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:14 PM | 9:55 PM | 16h 03m |
| July | 4:48 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:15 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:08 PM | 9:47 PM | 15h 41m |
| August | 5:32 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:26 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 20m |
| September | 6:18 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:14 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:24 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 16m |
| December | 7:19 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:49 AM | 3:25 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 Point Wilson 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 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 | — | -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: 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 ≈ 19.8 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
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 PORT TOWNSEND, 3.7 km (2.3 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Point Wilson Light, closest first.
LighthouseLighthouse
LighthouseLighthouse
Lighthouse
State Park
State ParkLighthouse
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Point Wilson Light?
What time is golden hour at Point Wilson Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Point Wilson Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Point Wilson Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Point Wilson Light?
How far is Point Wilson Light from Port Townsend?
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.