Lancaster is a city of about 161,103 people in Los Angeles County, California, at 719 m (2,359 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:03 AM and sets at 6:13 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:39 PM – 6:29 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 | 7:00 AM | 7:38 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:33 PM | 10h 05m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:14 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 7:04 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:21 AM | 6:55 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:51 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:50 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 59m |
| June | 5:40 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 28m |
| July | 5:51 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 16m |
| August | 6:14 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 28m |
| September | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:26 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:59 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:19 PM | 6:44 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 7:04 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 21m |
| December | 6:53 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 51m |
Local time in America/Los Angeles, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Lancaster
At Lancaster 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
Best photo spots near Lancaster
104 photo locations lie within 80 km of Lancaster. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
Scenic Viewpoints
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Botanical Gardens
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CanyonNight sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Lancaster is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Ballarat, about 171 km (107 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballarat | Ghost Town | 171 km (107 mi) | 2 |
| Olancha Peak | Mountain Peak | 174 km (108 mi) | 2 |
| Surprise Canyon | Canyon | 178 km (110 mi) | 2 |
| Golden Trout Wilderness | Wilderness Area | 179 km (111 mi) | 2 |
| Darwin | Ghost Town | 181 km (113 mi) | 2 |
| Panamint City | Ghost Town | 184 km (114 mi) | 2 |
| Volcano Falls | Waterfall | 185 km (115 mi) | 2 |
| Natural Bridge | Natural Arch | 186 km (116 mi) | 2 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 4:31 AM – 5:11 AM | 0.7 | 16° |
| March | 3:45 AM – 5:35 AM | 1.8 | 23° |
| April | 1:44 AM – 4:44 AM | 3.0 | 26° |
| May | 11:48 PM – 4:08 AM | 4.3 | 26° |
| June | 9:55 PM – 3:45 AM | 5.8 | 26° |
| July | 9:50 PM – 2:20 AM | 4.5 | 26° |
| August | 9:15 PM – 12:25 AM | 3.2 | 26° |
| September | 8:27 PM – 10:17 PM | 1.8 | 23° |
| October | 7:43 PM – 8:23 PM | 0.7 | 16° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (42%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.