Located in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin, Algoma Pierhead Light is a lighthouse. Its recorded tower height is about 12 m (41 ft). It dates from 1908.
The Algoma Light or Algoma Pierhead Light is a lighthouse located near Algoma in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin. The lighthouse was first established in 1893 as a set of range lights. It was rebuilt in 1908, at which time it was a conical tower built of 5⁄16-inch (7.9 mm) steel plate, 8 feet (2.4 m) in diameter at the base and 7 feet (2.1 m) in diameter at the parapet. It stood 26 feet (7.9 m) high. In 1932, it was modified again and the entire structure was raised to a height of 42 feet (13 m) by placing the older tower on a new steel base 12 feet (3.7 m) in diameter, that increased the focal height to forty-two feet. The station was automated in 1973. It is listed as number 20975 in the USCG light lists.From the Wikipedia article “Algoma Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Algoma Pierhead Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:54 AM | 90° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:05 AM | 55° NE | 8:39 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 34m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:37 AM | 89° E | 6:49 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:24 AM | 123° ESE | 4:13 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 49m |
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 | 7:24 AM | 8:10 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 12m |
| February | 6:21 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 28m |
| March | 6:34 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:36 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:45 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 28m |
| May | 4:49 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:05 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 48m |
| June | 4:28 AM | 5:05 AM | 5:50 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:14 PM | 15h 33m |
| July | 4:44 AM | 5:19 AM | 6:03 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:09 PM | 15h 14m |
| August | 5:21 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 04m |
| September | 6:00 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:24 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:32 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:36 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:07 PM | 6:36 PM | 11h 01m |
| November | 6:16 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:31 AM | 3:39 PM | 4:23 PM | 4:55 PM | 9h 36m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:09 AM | 3:23 PM | 4:11 PM | 4:44 PM | 8h 50m |
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 Algoma Pierhead Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:43 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:41 AM – 4:11 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:48 AM – 3:08 AM | 2.3 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:05 PM – 2:35 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:51 PM – 1:11 AM | 2.3 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:51 PM – 11:11 PM | 1.3 | 16° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:42 PM – 9:12 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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 ≈ 20.69 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 September as the clearest month (about 59% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (74%). 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 | 45 | 53 | 69 | 71 | 79 | 85 | 92 | 92 | 86 | 79 | 67 | 58 |
| Low °F | -23 | -15 | -11 | 16 | 29 | 37 | 50 | 51 | 40 | 29 | 13 | -6 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.4 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 2.2 | 2.0 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Algoma Pierhead Light, closest first.
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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.