Located in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, Fond du Lac Light is a lighthouse. It sits roughly 2.5 km (1.6 mi) N of Fond du Lac. Its recorded tower height is about 17 m (56 ft). It dates from 1933.
The Fond du Lac Light is a lighthouse located at the entrance to the harbor and Yacht Club, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. It is located on the southern end of Lake Winnebago. It is currently incorporated in the Fond du Lac City Seal. Construction of the lighthouse started in May 1933 and was completed shortly after October. It replaced an ordinary red light that previously marked the harbor entrance. After years of neglect it was saved from demolition in 1967 and restored in 1993 with help from local community organizations. The lighthouse is also the focal point of the seasonal holiday lights in Lakeside Park; a cutout of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is adorned to the light house using the red light on top of the lighthouse as the nose. Pending major rebuild for being crooked for the past 25 years.From the Wikipedia article “Fond du Lac Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fond du Lac Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:58 AM | 90° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:12 AM | 56° NE | 8:40 PM | 305° NW | 70° | 15h 28m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:42 AM | 89° E | 6:53 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:25 AM | 123° ESE | 4:20 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 54m |
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 | 6:53 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:11 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 17m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:54 PM | 10h 30m |
| March | 6:38 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:45 AM | 6:22 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:42 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:50 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 26m |
| May | 4:56 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 44m |
| June | 4:36 AM | 5:12 AM | 5:56 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:14 PM | 15h 26m |
| July | 4:51 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:09 PM | 15h 08m |
| August | 5:28 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:20 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 01m |
| September | 6:05 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:35 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:12 PM | 6:41 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:18 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:32 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:01 PM | 9h 40m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:09 AM | 3:31 PM | 4:18 PM | 4:51 PM | 8h 56m |
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 Fond du Lac Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:46 AM – 5:26 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:42 AM – 4:22 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:46 AM – 3:16 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:01 PM – 2:41 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:48 PM – 1:28 AM | 2.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:51 PM – 11:21 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 9:24 PM | 0.7 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.77 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 48% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (71%). 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 | 49 | 64 | 78 | 81 | 90 | 96 | 103 | 96 | 93 | 85 | 72 | 64 |
| Low °F | -43 | -24 | -19 | 11 | 26 | 39 | 45 | 42 | 33 | 18 | 0 | -24 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 5.1 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 1.9 |
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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Fond du Lac Light, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fond du Lac Light?
What time is golden hour at Fond du Lac Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fond du Lac Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fond du Lac Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fond du Lac Light?
How far is Fond du Lac Light from Fond du Lac?
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.