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41.9125° N88.1348° W231 mBortle 8Chicago

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Carol Stream, IL

DuPage County, Illinois · pop. 40,356

  • Sunrise 7:11 AM
  • Sunset 6:05 PM
  • Bortle 8

Carol Stream is a city of about 40,356 people in DuPage County, Illinois, at 231 m (758 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:11 AM and sets at 6:05 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:26 PM – 6:22 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Carol Stream

Live
Sunrise
7:11 AM
Sunset
6:05 PM
Golden hour AM
6:54 AM – 7:49 AM
Golden hour PM
5:26 PM – 6:22 PM
Blue hour AM
6:43 AM – 6:54 AM
Blue hour PM
6:22 PM – 6:33 PM
Full darkness
7:38 PM – 5:39 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:25 PM / 1:05 AM
Day length
10h 54m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Chicago. 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
January7:19 AM8:02 AM4:03 PM4:47 PM5:17 PM9h 28m
February6:49 AM7:28 AM4:47 PM5:26 PM5:54 PM10h 36m
March7:05 AM7:42 AM6:22 PM6:59 PM7:27 PM11h 54m
April6:13 AM6:50 AM6:56 PM7:33 PM8:02 PM13h 21m
May5:33 AM6:13 AM7:26 PM8:06 PM8:38 PM14h 33m
June5:18 AM6:00 AM7:48 PM8:30 PM9:05 PM15h 13m
July5:31 AM6:12 AM7:46 PM8:27 PM9:00 PM14h 56m
August6:01 AM6:40 AM7:16 PM7:54 PM8:25 PM13h 53m
September6:33 AM7:10 AM6:27 PM7:04 PM7:32 PM12h 31m
October7:05 AM7:43 AM5:35 PM6:12 PM6:41 PM11h 07m
November6:43 AM7:25 AM3:51 PM4:33 PM5:03 PM9h 50m
December7:14 AM7:59 AM3:38 PM4:23 PM4:55 PM9h 09m

Local time in America/Chicago, daylight saving time included.

Where the sun rises and sets in Carol Stream

At Carol Stream the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

Best photo spots near Carol Stream

55 photo locations lie within 80 km of Carol Stream. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.

Waterfalls

Waterfall Glen Forest PreserveWaterfall
Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve25 km away · DuPage County
Waterfall
Canyon Creek Cascade27 km away · DuPage County · 214 m
Waterfall
Canyon Creek Falls27 km away · DuPage County · 213 m

State Parks

Moraine Hills State ParkState Park
Moraine Hills State Park45 km away · McHenry County
Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife AreaState Park
Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area45 km away · Kendall County
Volo Bog State Natural AreaState Park
Volo Bog State Natural Area49 km away · McHenry County
Channahon State ParkState Park
Channahon State Park55 km away · Will County
Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife AreaState Park
Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area58 km away · Will County
Chain O' Lakes State ParkState Park
Chain O' Lakes State Park61 km away · Lake County

Lakes

Lake OpekaLake
Lake Opeka23 km away · Cook County · 192 m
Bangs LakeLake
Bangs Lake39 km away · Lake County · 236 m
Lake CalumetLake
Lake Calumet52 km away · Cook County · 175 m
Druce LakeLake
Druce Lake52 km away · Lake County · 234 m
Wolf LakeLake
Wolf Lake57 km away · Cook County · 178 m
Geneva LakeLake
Geneva Lake79 km away · Walworth County · 263 m

Lighthouses

Grosse Point LightLighthouse
Grosse Point Light41 km away · Cook County
Chicago Harbor LightLighthouse
Chicago Harbor Light45 km away · Cook County
Chicago Harbor Southeast Guidewall LightLighthouse
Chicago Harbor Southeast Guidewall Light44 km away · Cook County
William E. Dever Crib LightLighthouse
William E. Dever Crib Light44 km away · Cook County
Wilson Avenue Crib LightLighthouse
Wilson Avenue Crib Light45 km away · Cook County
Lighthouse
Grosspoint Lighthouse41 km away · Cook County

Beaches

Centennial BeachBeach
Centennial Beach16 km away · DuPage County
Ohio Street BeachBeach
Ohio Street Beach42 km away · Cook County

Botanical Gardens

Morton ArboretumBotanical Garden
Morton Arboretum12 km away · DuPage County
Lilacia ParkBotanical Garden
Lilacia Park9.9 km away · DuPage County
Oak Park ConservatoryBotanical Garden
Oak Park Conservatory29 km away · Cook County
Garfield ParkBotanical Garden
Garfield Park35 km away · Cook County
Chicago Botanic GardenBotanical Garden
Chicago Botanic Garden39 km away · Cook County
Ladd ArboretumBotanical Garden
Ladd Arboretum39 km away · Cook County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Carol Stream is estimated at Bortle 8 (city sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Bourbonais, about 140 km (87 mi) away (Bortle 3). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from March to September, best in June. Northern lights need roughly Kp 6.0+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.

Darkest skies within 200 km

LocationTypeDistanceEst. Bortle
BourbonaisGhost Town140 km (87 mi)3
Cameron National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge142 km (88 mi)3
Hennepin Canal Parkway State ParkState Park142 km (88 mi)3
Apple River Canyon State ParkState Park169 km (105 mi)3
MillvilleGhost Town169 km (105 mi)3
Middle Fork River Forest PreserveDark Sky Place170 km (106 mi)3
Yellowstone Lake State ParkState Park179 km (111 mi)3
BriscoGhost Town179 km (111 mi)3
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
March4:33 AM – 5:23 AM0.815°
April2:25 AM – 4:25 AM2.019°
May12:34 AM – 3:34 AM3.019°
June10:43 PM – 3:03 AM4.319°
July10:33 PM – 1:43 AM3.219°
August9:42 PM – 11:42 PM2.018°
September8:40 PM – 9:40 PM1.015°

Cloud cover by month

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (70%). 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 Carol Stream today?
Today the morning golden hour is 6:54 AM – 7:49 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:26 PM – 6:22 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Carol Stream in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:12 PM and blue hour ends around 6:41 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Carol Stream?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 8:32 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:25 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Carol Stream?
Good options nearby include Centennial Beach, Lake Opeka, Bangs Lake. Check each page's sunset azimuth to see whether the sun sets in view.
Can you see the Milky Way from Carol Stream?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 8). Drive to Bourbonais (140 km (87 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Carol Stream?
Occasionally. Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0 or higher to show on the northern horizon at this geomagnetic latitude (51°). Cameras pick it up before your eyes do.