Baileys Harbor Light is a lighthouse in Door County, Wisconsin. The nearest town is Sturgeon Bay, about 33 km (21 mi) away (Baileys Harbor Light lies NE of town). It dates from 1852.
The Baileys Harbor lighthouse is a lighthouse located near Baileys Harbor in Door County, Wisconsin. Construction of Baileys Harbor Lighthouse began in 1852 and in 1853 David Ward became the first lighthouse keeper. It was the third lighthouse constructed in Door County after the lighthouses on Rock Island and Plum Island. An 1866 inspection declared the lighthouse was in "very defective condition" and in late fall of 1869 it closed. This coincided with the opening of the Baileys Harbor Range Lights and the Cana Island Lighthouse in 1870 which replaced it. Today the island is privately owned and the lighthouse is in decay but still standing. It is one of four lighthouses in the country to have retained its bird-cage lantern.From the Wikipedia article “Baileys Harbor Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Baileys Harbor 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 68° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:52 AM | 90° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:02 AM | 55° NE | 8:40 PM | 305° NW | 68° | 15h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:36 AM | 89° E | 6:48 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:25 AM | 123° ESE | 4:10 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 45m |
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 | 8:11 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 09m |
| February | 6:20 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:47 PM | 10h 26m |
| March | 6:33 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:34 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:44 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 29m |
| May | 4:46 AM | 5:20 AM | 6:03 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 51m |
| June | 4:24 AM | 5:02 AM | 5:47 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:15 PM | 15h 36m |
| July | 4:40 AM | 5:16 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:10 PM | 15h 17m |
| August | 5:19 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 06m |
| September | 5:58 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:07 AM | 6:23 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:31 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:35 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:35 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:32 AM | 3:36 PM | 4:21 PM | 4:53 PM | 9h 34m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:10 AM | 3:19 PM | 4:08 PM | 4:42 PM | 8h 47m |
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 Baileys Harbor Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 4:52 AM – 5:12 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:51 AM – 4:11 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:49 AM – 2:59 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:10 PM – 2:20 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:54 PM – 1:04 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:51 PM – 11:01 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:42 PM – 9:02 PM | 0.3 | 12° | 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.83 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 61% average cloud cover) and November as the cloudiest (75%). 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 | 73 | 75 | 83 | 87 | 93 | 95 | 88 | 80 | 67 | 57 |
| Low °F | -26 | -19 | -16 | 2 | 26 | 36 | 47 | 44 | 34 | 24 | 2 | -14 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 2.4 | 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
- 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.
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Baileys Harbor Light, closest first.
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Sand Dunes
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LakeSand DunesSand DunesSand DunesFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Baileys Harbor Light?
What time is golden hour at Baileys Harbor Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Baileys Harbor Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Baileys Harbor Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Baileys Harbor Light?
How far is Baileys Harbor Light from Sturgeon Bay?
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.