Lompoc is a city of about 44,164 people in Santa Barbara County, California. Today the sun rises at 7:12 AM and sets at 6:22 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:48 PM – 6:38 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 | 7:09 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 05m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:23 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 7:13 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:31 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:00 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 6:00 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 58m |
| June | 5:49 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 28m |
| July | 6:01 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 15m |
| August | 6:23 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 28m |
| September | 6:46 AM | 7:19 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:35 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 7:08 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:13 AM | 4:22 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 22m |
| December | 7:02 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 51m |
Local time in America/Los Angeles, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Lompoc
At Lompoc 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 Lompoc
45 photo locations lie within 80 km of Lompoc. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
Waterfalls
State Parks
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State ParkLakes
Lighthouses
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LighthouseLighthouseBeaches
Beach
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BeachBotanical Gardens
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Botanical GardenNight sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Lompoc is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Piedras Blancas Light Station, about 137 km (85 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piedras Blancas Light Station | Lighthouse | 137 km (85 mi) | 2 |
| Piedras Blancas Lighthouse | Lighthouse | 137 km (85 mi) | 2 |
| Point Arguello Light | Lighthouse | 18.7 km (11.6 mi) | 3 |
| Point Conception Light | Lighthouse | 21 km (13 mi) | 3 |
| Gaviota State Park | State Park | 27 km (17 mi) | 3 |
| Figueroa Mountain | Mountain Peak | 45 km (28 mi) | 3 |
| San Rafael Wilderness | Wilderness Area | 58 km (36 mi) | 3 |
| Richardson Rock Lighthouse (historical) | Lighthouse | 60 km (37 mi) | 3 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 4:40 AM – 5:20 AM | 0.7 | 16° |
| March | 3:54 AM – 5:44 AM | 1.8 | 23° |
| April | 1:53 AM – 4:53 AM | 3.0 | 26° |
| May | 11:57 PM – 4:17 AM | 4.3 | 26° |
| June | 10:04 PM – 3:54 AM | 5.8 | 26° |
| July | 9:59 PM – 2:29 AM | 4.5 | 26° |
| August | 9:24 PM – 12:34 AM | 3.2 | 26° |
| September | 8:36 PM – 10:26 PM | 1.8 | 23° |
| October | 7:52 PM – 8:32 PM | 0.7 | 16° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (60%). September is the warmest month and February the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.