Two Lights State Park is a state park in Cumberland County, Maine. The nearest town is South Portland, about 8.5 km (5.3 mi) away (Two Lights State Park lies SSE of town).
Two Lights State Park is a public recreation area occupying 41 acres (17 ha) of headland on Cape Elizabeth, Maine, that offers views of Casco Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The state park, which opened in 1961, is named after the twin Cape Elizabeth Lights, although there are no lighthouses in the park itself. In addition to rocky headlands, the park includes the remains of a World War II–era seacoast battery bunker and a fire control tower. It is managed by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.From the Wikipedia article “Two Lights State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Two Lights State Park 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 304° (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) | 6:45 AM | 90° E | 6:53 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:00 AM | 56° NE | 8:26 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:29 AM | 89° E | 6:40 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 123° ESE | 4:08 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 56m |
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
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:40 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:57 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:02 PM | 9h 18m |
| February | 6:11 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:41 PM | 10h 31m |
| March | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:09 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:16 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:54 PM | 13h 25m |
| May | 4:44 AM | 5:17 AM | 5:58 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 42m |
| June | 4:24 AM | 5:00 AM | 5:44 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:25 PM | 9:00 PM | 15h 25m |
| July | 4:39 AM | 5:14 AM | 5:57 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:55 PM | 15h 07m |
| August | 5:15 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:17 PM | 14h 00m |
| September | 5:52 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:22 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:59 PM | 6:28 PM | 11h 04m |
| November | 6:05 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:19 AM | 3:34 PM | 4:17 PM | 4:48 PM | 9h 42m |
| December | 6:35 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:55 AM | 3:19 PM | 4:06 PM | 4:38 PM | 8h 58m |
Local time (America/New York), 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 Two Lights State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.8 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 5 (suburban sky), 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 | 4:33 AM – 5:13 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:28 AM – 4:08 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:31 AM – 3:11 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:45 PM – 2:35 AM | 3.8 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:33 PM – 1:13 AM | 2.7 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:37 PM – 11:17 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:31 PM – 9:11 PM | 0.7 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.08 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 September as the clearest month (about 50% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (66%). 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 | 60 | 61 | 73 | 85 | 83 | 89 | 90 | 95 | 94 | 79 | 68 | 62 |
| Low °F | -11 | -12 | -6 | 18 | 31 | 40 | 51 | 48 | 39 | 25 | 8 | -9 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.5 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 5.0 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 5.4 | 4.7 | 5.0 |
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 state park
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. 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 40 km of Two Lights State Park, closest first.
Lighthouse
Beach
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Beach
Waterfall
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Two Lights State Park?
What time is golden hour at Two Lights State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Two Lights State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Two Lights State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Two Lights State Park?
How far is Two Lights State Park from South Portland?
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.