Petaluma is a city of about 60,438 people in Sonoma County, California. Today the sun rises at 7:25 AM and sets at 6:27 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:51 PM – 6:44 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 | 7:27 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 48m |
| February | 7:02 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:23 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 6:01 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 15m |
| June | 5:48 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 49m |
| July | 6:00 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 34m |
| August | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:20 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:01 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:53 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 7:21 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 31m |
Local time in America/Los Angeles, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Petaluma
At Petaluma 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 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
Best photo spots near Petaluma
169 photo locations lie within 80 km of Petaluma. 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 Petaluma is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Hitch'n Post, about 122 km (76 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 | 122 km (76 mi) | 2 |
| Point Arena Arch | Natural Arch | 123 km (77 mi) | 2 |
| Manchester State Park | State Park | 125 km (77 mi) | 2 |
| Point Arena Light | Lighthouse | 125 km (78 mi) | 2 |
| Greenwood State Beach | State Park | 137 km (85 mi) | 2 |
| Devils Pitchfork | Natural Arch | 137 km (85 mi) | 2 |
| Wharf Rock East Arch | Natural Arch | 137 km (85 mi) | 2 |
| Wharf Rock West Arch | Natural Arch | 137 km (85 mi) | 2 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 5:09 AM – 5:29 AM | 0.3 | 13° |
| March | 4:16 AM – 5:46 AM | 1.5 | 19° |
| April | 2:21 AM – 4:51 AM | 2.5 | 22° |
| May | 12:22 AM – 4:12 AM | 3.8 | 23° |
| June | 10:33 PM – 3:43 AM | 5.2 | 23° |
| July | 10:26 PM – 2:26 AM | 4.0 | 23° |
| August | 9:44 PM – 12:24 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| September | 8:50 PM – 10:20 PM | 1.5 | 19° |
| October | 8:02 PM – 8:22 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.