Racine Harbor Lighthouse and Life Saving Station is a lighthouse in Racine County, Wisconsin. It sits roughly 900 m NNE of Racine. It dates from 1860. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Racine Harbor Lighthouse and Life Saving Station is a complex of navigation aids begun by the U.S. government in the 1860s near the harbor of Racine, Wisconsin. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. To guide ships into Racine's harbor, the federal government in 1837 built the first lighthouse at the mouth of the Root River, with a light on a 34 feet (10 m) tower and a lightkeeper's house. Those structures no longer exist. In the early 1860s the pier was extended, and a new lighthouse and keeper's quarters were begun on a rock-filled crib 200 feet (61 m) offshore. They were completed in 1866 and served for 40 years. In 1903 the light was moved from the old lighthouse to a free-standing 120-foot steel tower, and the tower of the old lighthouse was capped with a hip roof.From the Wikipedia article “Racine Harbor Lighthouse and Life Saving Station”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Racine Harbor Lighthouse and Life Saving Station the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:55 AM | 90° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:14 AM | 56° ENE | 8:34 PM | 304° NW | 71° | 15h 20m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:39 AM | 89° E | 6:50 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 122° ESE | 4:21 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 02m |
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 | 6:48 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:04 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 23m |
| February | 6:20 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:52 PM | 10h 34m |
| March | 6:36 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:41 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:48 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:03 PM | 13h 23m |
| May | 4:57 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 38m |
| June | 4:38 AM | 5:13 AM | 5:56 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:07 PM | 15h 18m |
| July | 4:53 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:02 PM | 15h 01m |
| August | 5:28 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 56m |
| September | 6:03 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:31 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:36 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:13 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:26 AM | 3:47 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:00 PM | 9h 46m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:01 AM | 3:33 PM | 4:19 PM | 4:51 PM | 9h 03m |
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 Racine Harbor Lighthouse and Life Saving Station, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° 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 | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:32 AM – 5:22 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:35 AM – 4:25 AM | 1.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:36 AM – 3:26 AM | 2.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:48 PM – 2:48 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:37 PM – 1:27 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:43 PM – 11:33 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:39 PM – 9:29 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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 ≈ 18.42 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 58% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (85%). August 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 | 50 | 54 | 65 | 68 | 79 | 83 | 91 | 88 | 84 | 75 | 68 | 58 |
| Low °F | -9 | -2 | 0 | 25 | 34 | 40 | 53 | 56 | 47 | 34 | 19 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 2.4 | 2.3 |
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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Racine Harbor Lighthouse and Life Saving Station, closest first.
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LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Racine Harbor Lighthouse and Life Saving Station?
What time is golden hour at Racine Harbor Lighthouse and Life Saving Station?
Where does the sun rise and set at Racine Harbor Lighthouse and Life Saving Station?
Can you see the Milky Way from Racine Harbor Lighthouse and Life Saving Station?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Racine Harbor Lighthouse and Life Saving Station?
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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.