Located in Door County, Wisconsin, Eagle Bluff Light is a lighthouse. It is part of Peninsula State Park. The nearest town is Menominee, about 30 km (19 mi) away (Eagle Bluff Light lies ENE of town). Its recorded tower height is about 13 m (43 ft). It dates from 1868. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Eagle Bluff Light, also known as Eagle Bluff lighthouse, is a lighthouse located near Ephraim in Peninsula State Park in Door County, Wisconsin, United States. Construction was authorized in 1866, and the lighthouse was built in 1868 at a cost of $12,000. It was automated in 1926. Restoration work began on the Eagle Bluff Light in 1960 and was completed in 1963; upon completion the lighthouse was opened for tours. The lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.From the Wikipedia article “Eagle Bluff Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Eagle Bluff Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:53 AM | 90° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:02 AM | 55° NE | 8:41 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 38m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:37 AM | 89° E | 6:48 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:26 AM | 124° ESE | 4:10 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 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 | 6:52 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:12 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 08m |
| February | 6:21 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:47 PM | 10h 26m |
| March | 6:33 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:34 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:44 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 30m |
| May | 4:46 AM | 5:20 AM | 6:03 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 52m |
| June | 4:24 AM | 5:02 AM | 5:47 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:16 PM | 15h 37m |
| July | 4:40 AM | 5:17 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:11 PM | 15h 18m |
| August | 5:19 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 07m |
| September | 5:59 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:07 AM | 6:23 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:32 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:36 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:35 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:16 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:33 AM | 3:36 PM | 4:21 PM | 4:53 PM | 9h 33m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:11 AM | 3:19 PM | 4:08 PM | 4:42 PM | 8h 46m |
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 Eagle Bluff 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 | 4:54 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:53 AM – 4:13 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:52 AM – 3:02 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:14 PM – 2:24 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:57 PM – 1:07 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:54 PM – 11:04 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:43 PM – 9:03 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 ≈ 21.82 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.0+ 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
- 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.
- 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.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Eagle Bluff Light, closest first.
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Sand Dunes
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Lighthouse
LighthouseSand Dunes
Lake
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Eagle Bluff Light?
What time is golden hour at Eagle Bluff Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Eagle Bluff Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Eagle Bluff Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Eagle Bluff Light?
How far is Eagle Bluff Light from Menominee?
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.