Coronation Island Wilderness is a wilderness area in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska. The nearest town is Sitka, about 148 km (92 mi) away (Coronation Island Wilderness lies SSE of town).
Coronation Island is located in Alaska off the northwest coast of Prince of Wales Island, south of Kuiu Island, and west of Warren Island. High prevailing winds and waves from the open ocean to the west, combined with a steep, rocky coast, result in virtually unaccessible shore due to heavy surf along the windward (western and southwestern) coastline of the island. The few protected coves and beaches along the leeward (eastern and northeastern) shore are guarded by rocky shoals. Thus, the island is difficult to access by any route, and is generally limited to small boat or floatplane during brief lulls in the weather. There are no developed facilities and no groomed trails on the island. Wilderness camping is unrestricted and fishing and hunting are allowed. The nearest full-service community is Craig, Alaska. The island is also home to the Coronation Island Wilderness, which...From the Wikipedia article “Coronation Island (Alaska)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Coronation Island Wilderness the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 43° (NE) at the June solstice and 134° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 317° (NW) in June to 227° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 58° in summer but only 11° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:00 AM | 89° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 34° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:12 AM | 43° NE | 9:47 PM | 317° NW | 58° | 17h 35m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:43 AM | 88° E | 6:58 PM | 272° W | 34° | 12h 15m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:27 AM | 134° SE | 3:25 PM | 227° SW | 11° | 6h 58m |
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
Wilderness areas reward those who camp: being on location at sunrise and in the dark is the main advantage over day visitors.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:34 AM | 8:18 AM | 9:28 AM | 2:46 PM | 3:56 PM | 4:40 PM | 7h 38m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:17 AM | 4:06 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 39m |
| March | 6:36 AM | 7:13 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:11 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:37 PM | 11h 48m |
| April | 5:12 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:13 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 11m |
| May | 3:56 AM | 4:45 AM | 5:42 AM | 8:06 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:53 PM | 16h 18m |
| June | 3:10 AM | 4:12 AM | 5:16 AM | 8:41 PM | 9:45 PM | 10:46 PM | 17h 33m |
| July | 3:38 AM | 4:33 AM | 5:34 AM | 8:33 PM | 9:33 PM | 10:29 PM | 17h 00m |
| August | 4:46 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:18 PM | 15h 06m |
| September | 5:52 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:18 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 47m |
| October | 6:51 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:20 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:35 PM | 10h 29m |
| November | 6:52 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:37 AM | 2:48 PM | 3:51 PM | 4:33 PM | 8h 17m |
| December | 7:35 AM | 8:22 AM | 9:40 AM | 2:05 PM | 3:24 PM | 4:11 PM | 7h 01m |
Local time (America/Juneau), 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
At this latitude the summer nights are too short or too bright for the Milky Way core to stand high in true darkness; aim for star trails or the aurora.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -10° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -9° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -21° | — |
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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.95 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 1.5+ 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 82% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (92%). August is the warmest month and March 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 | 51 | 49 | 51 | 57 | 62 | 66 | 63 | 65 | 62 | 57 | 54 | 52 |
| Low °F | 18 | 20 | 19 | 35 | 38 | 42 | 48 | 50 | 46 | 38 | 24 | 23 |
| Precip. (in) | 9.2 | 6.6 | 6.2 | 5.4 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 6.0 | 8.5 | 9.9 | 9.7 | 9.7 |
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 wilderness area
- Night skies are often among the darkest in the country.
- Motorized and mechanized equipment, including drones, is prohibited in designated wilderness.
- Group size limits and permits may apply; check with the managing agency.
- Practice Leave No Trace — camp on durable surfaces away from lakes and streams.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Most high wilderness is snow-free from July to September; lower deserts are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Lightweight tripod, Spare batteries, Headlamp, Navigation. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drones may not take off from or land in federally designated wilderness, where mechanized equipment is prohibited under the Wilderness Act.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Coronation Island Wilderness, closest first.
LighthouseLighthouse
Lighthouse
Wilderness AreaLighthouseLighthouseLighthouseLighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Coronation Island Wilderness?
What time is golden hour at Coronation Island Wilderness?
Where does the sun rise and set at Coronation Island Wilderness?
Can you see the Milky Way from Coronation Island Wilderness?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Coronation Island Wilderness?
How far is Coronation Island Wilderness from Sitka?
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.