Which chart symbol indicates a lighthouse on nautical charts?

• A. Magenta flash symbol
• B. Colored shape with letters/numbers
• C. Red and white vertical stripes
• D. Black and red, two black spheres

Answer: (A)

Know how lighthouses and other lighted aids are shown on charts. On nautical charts, lighthouses and lighted aids are indicated with magenta symbols, and when the symbol includes a “flash” marking it tells you the aid has a flashing light. The magenta flash symbol is the standard way to convey that a lighthouse is present at that spot, often with accompanying notes about the light’s flashing pattern and range.

The other symbols point to different kinds of aids or marks that aren’t lighthouses, such as daymarks or non-lighted features, so they don’t identify a lighthouse the way the magenta flash symbol does.