Opelika is a city of about 29,527 people in Lee County, Alabama, at 246 m (807 ft). Today the sun rises at 6:50 AM and sets at 6:04 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:31 PM – 6:19 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour by month
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:44 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:22 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 14m |
| February | 6:26 AM | 6:59 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:53 PM | 11h 02m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:14 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:13 AM | 6:46 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:37 PM | 12h 59m |
| May | 5:44 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 50m |
| June | 5:34 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:20 PM | 14h 17m |
| July | 5:45 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:19 PM | 14h 06m |
| August | 6:06 AM | 6:40 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:54 PM | 13h 22m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:14 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:46 AM | 7:19 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:35 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 6:12 AM | 6:48 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:08 PM | 10h 29m |
| December | 6:37 AM | 7:15 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:05 PM | 10h 01m |
Local time in America/Chicago, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Opelika
At Opelika the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
Best photo spots near Opelika
22 photo locations lie within 80 km of Opelika. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
Scenic Viewpoints
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointWaterfalls
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallState Parks
Lakes
Botanical Gardens
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Botanical GardenCovered Bridges
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Covered BridgeNight sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Opelika is estimated at Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is George T. Bagby State Park, about 113 km (70 mi) away (Bortle 2). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from February to October, best in June.
Darkest skies within 200 km
| Location | Type | Distance | Est. Bortle |
|---|---|---|---|
| George T. Bagby State Park | State Park | 113 km (70 mi) | 2 |
| View point | Scenic Viewpoint | 117 km (72 mi) | 2 |
| West Bank Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | 118 km (73 mi) | 2 |
| Bridgeport Beach | Beach | 188 km (117 mi) | 2 |
| Prairie Bluff | Ghost Town | 198 km (123 mi) | 2 |
| Jerry W. Bynum Fire Lookout Tower | Scenic Viewpoint | 47 km (29 mi) | 3 |
| Miller Covered Bridge | Covered Bridge | 50 km (31 mi) | 3 |
| Lake Martin | Lake | 51 km (32 mi) | 3 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 4:11 AM – 5:01 AM | 0.8 | 17° |
| March | 3:22 AM – 5:22 AM | 2.0 | 25° |
| April | 1:18 AM – 4:38 AM | 3.3 | 28° |
| May | 11:19 PM – 3:59 AM | 4.7 | 28° |
| June | 9:34 PM – 3:44 AM | 6.2 | 28° |
| July | 9:30 PM – 2:20 AM | 4.8 | 28° |
| August | 8:58 PM – 12:18 AM | 3.3 | 28° |
| September | 8:13 PM – 10:23 PM | 2.2 | 25° |
| October | 7:32 PM – 8:22 PM | 0.8 | 17° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (58%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.