Barnegat Lighthouse State Park — a state park in Ocean County, New Jersey — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 8.1 km (5.0 mi) ESE of Waretown.
Barnegat Lighthouse State Park is located on the northern tip of Long Beach Island in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. The area where the lighthouse stands was regarded as one of the most important navigational points for ships bound to and from New York Harbor. The ships were dependent upon the Barnegat Lighthouse to avoid the shoals extending from the shoreline. The fast currents, shifting sandbars, and offshore shoals challenged sailors. The park is included as a maritime site on the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail. The park is operated and maintained by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry.From the Wikipedia article “Barnegat Lighthouse State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Barnegat Lighthouse State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:01 AM | 90° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:29 AM | 58° ENE | 8:29 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 59m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:45 AM | 89° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 AM | 121° ESE | 4:36 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 21m |
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 | 6:47 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:26 PM | 9h 40m |
| February | 6:22 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 6:42 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:45 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:52 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:56 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:12 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 22m |
| June | 4:56 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:27 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 58m |
| July | 5:10 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 43m |
| August | 5:40 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 45m |
| September | 6:11 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:19 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:13 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:11 PM | 10h 00m |
| December | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:04 PM | 9h 22m |
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 Barnegat Lighthouse State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:03 AM – 5:13 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:13 AM – 5:33 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:10 AM – 4:40 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:14 AM – 3:44 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:28 PM – 3:18 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:20 PM – 2:00 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:35 PM – 11:55 PM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:38 PM – 9:58 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:48 PM – 7:58 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 7.0+ 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 January as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 64 | 62 | 68 | 80 | 83 | 88 | 92 | 91 | 88 | 84 | 71 | 67 |
| Low °F | 6 | 5 | 11 | 29 | 37 | 49 | 58 | 58 | 50 | 37 | 25 | 14 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 4.5 |
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
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Barnegat Lighthouse State Park, closest first.
Lighthouse
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
State Park
Ghost Town
National Wildlife RefugeGhost Town
Fire Lookout
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Barnegat Lighthouse State Park?
What time is golden hour at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Barnegat Lighthouse State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park?
How far is Barnegat Lighthouse State Park from Waretown?
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.