Novato is a city of about 55,530 people in Marin County, California. Today the sun rises at 7:24 AM and sets at 6:27 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:51 PM – 6:43 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 | 7:26 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 7:01 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:22 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 6:01 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 14m |
| June | 5:48 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 48m |
| July | 6:00 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 34m |
| August | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:20 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:52 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 7:20 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 32m |
Local time in America/Los Angeles, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Novato
At Novato 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 28° in winter.
Best photo spots near Novato
176 photo locations lie within 80 km of Novato. 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 Novato is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Hitch'n Post, about 136 km (84 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 | 136 km (84 mi) | 2 |
| Point Arena Arch | Natural Arch | 137 km (85 mi) | 2 |
| Manchester State Park | State Park | 138 km (86 mi) | 2 |
| Point Arena Light | Lighthouse | 139 km (86 mi) | 2 |
| Greenwood State Beach | State Park | 151 km (94 mi) | 2 |
| Devils Pitchfork | Natural Arch | 151 km (94 mi) | 2 |
| Wharf Rock East Arch | Natural Arch | 152 km (94 mi) | 2 |
| Wharf Rock West Arch | Natural Arch | 152 km (94 mi) | 2 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 5:08 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.3 | 13° |
| March | 4:15 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.5 | 19° |
| April | 2:20 AM – 5:00 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| May | 12:19 AM – 4:09 AM | 3.8 | 23° |
| June | 10:31 PM – 3:51 AM | 5.3 | 23° |
| July | 10:24 PM – 2:24 AM | 4.0 | 23° |
| August | 9:43 PM – 12:23 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| September | 8:49 PM – 10:19 PM | 1.5 | 20° |
| October | 8:01 PM – 8:21 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.