Lafayette is a city of about 25,843 people in Contra Costa County, California, at 94 m (308 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:22 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 | 8:03 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:59 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 7:20 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 | 7:44 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:47 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 6:25 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:44 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:50 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:26 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 7:18 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 33m |
Local time in America/Los Angeles, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Lafayette
At Lafayette 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 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
Best photo spots near Lafayette
186 photo locations lie within 80 km of Lafayette. 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 Lafayette is estimated at Bortle 8 (city sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Hitch'n Post, about 182 km (113 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 | 182 km (113 mi) | 2 |
| Point Arena Arch | Natural Arch | 183 km (114 mi) | 2 |
| Manchester State Park | State Park | 184 km (114 mi) | 2 |
| Point Arena Light | Lighthouse | 185 km (115 mi) | 2 |
| Greenwood State Beach | State Park | 196 km (122 mi) | 2 |
| Devils Pitchfork | Natural Arch | 196 km (122 mi) | 2 |
| Wharf Rock East Arch | Natural Arch | 197 km (122 mi) | 2 |
| Wharf Rock West Arch | Natural Arch | 197 km (122 mi) | 2 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 5:06 AM – 5:26 AM | 0.3 | 13° |
| March | 4:13 AM – 5:43 AM | 1.5 | 19° |
| April | 2:18 AM – 4:58 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| May | 12:17 AM – 4:07 AM | 3.8 | 23° |
| June | 10:29 PM – 3:49 AM | 5.3 | 23° |
| July | 10:22 PM – 2:22 AM | 4.0 | 23° |
| August | 9:41 PM – 12:21 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| September | 8:47 PM – 10:17 PM | 1.5 | 20° |
| October | 7:59 PM – 8:19 PM | 0.3 | 13° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (59%). September is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.