Benicia is a city of about 28,167 people in Solano County, California. Today the sun rises at 7:23 AM and sets at 6:25 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:49 PM – 6:42 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 | 7:24 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 7:00 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:21 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:34 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:46 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 48m |
| July | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 33m |
| August | 6:25 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:45 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:26 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 7:19 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 32m |
Local time in America/Los Angeles, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Benicia
At Benicia the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 29° in winter.
Best photo spots near Benicia
171 photo locations lie within 80 km of Benicia. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
Scenic Viewpoints
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BeachNight sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Benicia is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Hitch'n Post, about 168 km (104 mi) away (Bortle 2). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from March to September, best in June.
Darkest skies within 200 km
| Location | Type | Distance | Est. Bortle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hitch'n Post | Natural Arch | 168 km (104 mi) | 2 |
| Point Arena Arch | Natural Arch | 169 km (105 mi) | 2 |
| Manchester State Park | State Park | 170 km (106 mi) | 2 |
| Point Arena Light | Lighthouse | 171 km (106 mi) | 2 |
| Greenwood State Beach | State Park | 181 km (113 mi) | 2 |
| Devils Pitchfork | Natural Arch | 181 km (113 mi) | 2 |
| Wharf Rock East Arch | Natural Arch | 181 km (113 mi) | 2 |
| Wharf Rock West Arch | Natural Arch | 182 km (113 mi) | 2 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 5:07 AM – 5:27 AM | 0.3 | 13° |
| March | 4:14 AM – 5:44 AM | 1.5 | 19° |
| April | 2:19 AM – 4:59 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| May | 12:18 AM – 4:08 AM | 3.8 | 23° |
| June | 10:30 PM – 3:50 AM | 5.3 | 23° |
| July | 10:23 PM – 2:23 AM | 4.0 | 23° |
| August | 9:42 PM – 12:22 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:18 PM | 1.5 | 20° |
| October | 8:00 PM – 8:20 PM | 0.3 | 13° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 19% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (57%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.