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38.8780° N77.0031° W12 mBortle 9New York

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Capitol Riverfront, DC

District of Columbia · pop. 18,874

  • Sunrise 7:23 AM
  • Sunset 6:24 PM
  • Bortle 9

Capitol Riverfront is a city of about 18,874 people in District of Columbia, District of Columbia. Today the sun rises at 7:23 AM and sets at 6:24 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:47 PM – 6:41 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Capitol Riverfront

Live
Sunrise
7:23 AM
Sunset
6:24 PM
Golden hour AM
7:06 AM – 7:59 AM
Golden hour PM
5:47 PM – 6:41 PM
Blue hour AM
6:56 AM – 7:06 AM
Blue hour PM
6:41 PM – 6:51 PM
Full darkness
7:53 PM – 5:55 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:34 PM / 1:24 AM
Day length
11h 01m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise, sunset & golden hour by month

Month (15th)SunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:26 AM8:06 AM4:30 PM5:10 PM5:39 PM9h 45m
February7:00 AM7:37 AM5:09 PM5:46 PM6:13 PM10h 45m
March7:20 AM7:56 AM6:40 PM7:15 PM7:42 PM11h 55m
April6:32 AM7:08 AM7:09 PM7:45 PM8:13 PM13h 13m
May5:56 AM6:34 AM7:36 PM8:14 PM8:44 PM14h 18m
June5:43 AM6:23 AM7:56 PM8:36 PM9:08 PM14h 53m
July5:56 AM6:35 AM7:55 PM8:34 PM9:05 PM14h 38m
August6:22 AM6:59 AM7:28 PM8:04 PM8:33 PM13h 42m
September6:50 AM7:25 AM6:43 PM7:18 PM7:45 PM12h 28m
October7:18 AM7:54 AM5:55 PM6:31 PM6:58 PM11h 13m
November6:51 AM7:31 AM4:16 PM4:56 PM5:24 PM10h 04m
December7:20 AM8:02 AM4:06 PM4:48 PM5:18 PM9h 28m

Local time in America/New York, daylight saving time included.

Where the sun rises and sets in Capitol Riverfront

At Capitol Riverfront 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

Best photo spots near Capitol Riverfront

115 photo locations lie within 80 km of Capitol Riverfront. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.

Scenic Viewpoints

Waterfalls

State Parks

Lakes

Lighthouses

Beaches

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Capitol Riverfront is estimated at Bortle 9 (inner-city sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Point Lookout State Park, about 108 km (67 mi) away (Bortle 3). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from March to September, best in June. Northern lights need roughly Kp 7.0+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.

Darkest skies within 200 km

LocationTypeDistanceEst. Bortle
Point Lookout State ParkState Park108 km (67 mi)3
Point Lookout LightLighthouse111 km (69 mi)3
Clay Island LightLighthouse115 km (71 mi)3
Sharkfin Shoal LightLighthouse116 km (72 mi)3
Hazel Mountain OverlookScenic Viewpoint116 km (72 mi)3
Pinnacle OverlookScenic Viewpoint118 km (73 mi)3
Jewell Hollow OverlookScenic Viewpoint119 km (74 mi)3
Bowlers Rock LightLighthouse119 km (74 mi)3
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
February5:15 AM – 5:25 AM0.212°
March4:24 AM – 5:44 AM1.319°
April2:20 AM – 4:50 AM2.522°
May12:22 AM – 4:02 AM3.722°
June10:35 PM – 3:35 AM5.022°
July10:28 PM – 2:18 AM3.822°
August9:44 PM – 12:14 AM2.522°
September8:49 PM – 10:09 PM1.319°
October8:00 PM – 8:10 PM0.212°

Cloud cover by month

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 52% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (61%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

FAQ

What time is golden hour in Capitol Riverfront today?
Today the morning golden hour is 7:06 AM – 7:59 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:47 PM – 6:41 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Capitol Riverfront in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:31 PM and blue hour ends around 6:58 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Capitol Riverfront?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 8:37 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:50 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Capitol Riverfront?
Good options nearby include Tidal Basin Bathing Beach, Kingman Lake, Fishing Shore. Check each page's sunset azimuth to see whether the sun sets in view.
Can you see the Milky Way from Capitol Riverfront?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 9). Drive to Point Lookout State Park (108 km (67 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Capitol Riverfront?
Occasionally. Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0 or higher to show on the northern horizon at this geomagnetic latitude (48°). Cameras pick it up before your eyes do.