Marana is a city of about 41,315 people in Pima County, Arizona, at 607 m (1,991 ft). Today the sun rises at 6:33 AM and sets at 5:48 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:14 PM – 6:03 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 | 7:27 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 15m |
| February | 7:09 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:36 PM | 11h 03m |
| March | 6:36 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:20 PM | 12h 59m |
| May | 5:28 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:44 PM | 13h 49m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:03 PM | 14h 16m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:02 PM | 14h 05m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:37 PM | 13h 21m |
| September | 6:10 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:57 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:29 AM | 7:02 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:18 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 6:55 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:52 PM | 10h 30m |
| December | 7:20 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 02m |
Local time in America/Phoenix, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Marana
At Marana 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 Marana
63 photo locations lie within 80 km of Marana. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
Scenic Viewpoints
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Botanical Gardens
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Botanical Garden
Botanical GardenNatural Arches
Canyons
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CanyonCanyonNight sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Marana is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Chiricahua Natural Bridge, about 182 km (113 mi) away (Bortle 1). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chiricahua Natural Bridge | Natural Arch | 182 km (113 mi) | 1 |
| Chiricahua National Monument | Dark Sky Place | 182 km (113 mi) | 1 |
| Bonita Canyon | Canyon | 182 km (113 mi) | 1 |
| Sea Captain | Scenic Viewpoint | 184 km (114 mi) | 1 |
| Wood Canyon Waterfall | Waterfall | 184 km (114 mi) | 1 |
| Sugarloaf Mountain Lookout | Fire Lookout | 185 km (115 mi) | 1 |
| Stream Beds | Scenic Viewpoint | 185 km (115 mi) | 1 |
| Chiricahua Mountains Wildernes | Scenic Viewpoint | 185 km (115 mi) | 1 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 4:54 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.8 | 18° |
| March | 3:05 AM – 5:05 AM | 2.0 | 25° |
| April | 1:01 AM – 4:21 AM | 3.3 | 28° |
| May | 11:01 PM – 3:51 AM | 4.8 | 29° |
| June | 9:16 PM – 3:36 AM | 6.3 | 29° |
| July | 9:12 PM – 2:02 AM | 4.8 | 29° |
| August | 8:40 PM – 12:00 AM | 3.3 | 29° |
| September | 7:55 PM – 10:05 PM | 2.2 | 25° |
| October | 7:15 PM – 8:05 PM | 0.8 | 18° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 18% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (52%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.