In October 2026, sunrise in Chicago moves from 6:48 AM on October 1 to 7:22 AM on October 31, and sunset from 6:34 PM to 5:48 PM. Daylight changes from 11h 46m to 10h 25m. The fullest moon falls on October 25 (100% lit) and the darkest nights for stars are around October 10.
Sunrise range
6:48 AM → 7:22 AM
Sunset range
6:34 PM → 5:48 PM
Full moon
Oct 25
moonrise 5:14 PM
New moon
Oct 10
best for stars
Day-by-day sun & moon times — October 2026
| Date | Sunrise | Morning golden hour | Evening golden hour | Sunset | Blue hour | Daylight | Moon | Moonrise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 1 | 6:48 AM | 6:31 AM–7:25 AM | 5:57 PM–6:51 PM | 6:34 PM | 6:51 PM–7:02 PM | 11h 46m | 71% | 9:22 PM |
| Fri 2 | 6:49 AM | 6:32 AM–7:26 AM | 5:55 PM–6:49 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:49 PM–7:00 PM | 11h 43m | 60% | 10:28 PM |
| Sat 3 | 6:50 AM | 6:33 AM–7:27 AM | 5:53 PM–6:48 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:48 PM–6:58 PM | 11h 40m | 48% | 11:43 PM |
| Sun 4 | 6:51 AM | 6:34 AM–7:28 AM | 5:52 PM–6:46 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:46 PM–6:57 PM | 11h 38m | 37% | — |
| Mon 5 | 6:52 AM | 6:35 AM–7:29 AM | 5:50 PM–6:44 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:44 PM–6:55 PM | 11h 35m | 26% | 1:00 AM |
| Tue 6 | 6:53 AM | 6:36 AM–7:31 AM | 5:48 PM–6:42 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:42 PM–6:53 PM | 11h 32m | 16% | 2:19 AM |
| Wed 7 | 6:54 AM | 6:37 AM–7:32 AM | 5:46 PM–6:41 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:41 PM–6:52 PM | 11h 29m | 9% | 3:35 AM |
| Thu 8 | 6:56 AM | 6:38 AM–7:33 AM | 5:45 PM–6:39 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:39 PM–6:50 PM | 11h 26m | 4% | 4:47 AM |
| Fri 9 | 6:57 AM | 6:40 AM–7:34 AM | 5:43 PM–6:37 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:37 PM–6:48 PM | 11h 24m | 1% | 5:57 AM |
| Sat 10 | 6:58 AM | 6:41 AM–7:35 AM | 5:41 PM–6:36 PM | 6:19 PM | 6:36 PM–6:47 PM | 11h 21m | 0% | 7:05 AM |
| Sun 11 | 6:59 AM | 6:42 AM–7:36 AM | 5:40 PM–6:34 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:34 PM–6:45 PM | 11h 18m | 2% | 8:13 AM |
| Mon 12 | 7:00 AM | 6:43 AM–7:38 AM | 5:38 PM–6:33 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:33 PM–6:43 PM | 11h 15m | 5% | 9:20 AM |
| Tue 13 | 7:01 AM | 6:44 AM–7:39 AM | 5:36 PM–6:31 PM | 6:14 PM | 6:31 PM–6:42 PM | 11h 13m | 10% | 10:26 AM |
| Wed 14 | 7:02 AM | 6:45 AM–7:40 AM | 5:34 PM–6:29 PM | 6:12 PM | 6:29 PM–6:40 PM | 11h 10m | 17% | 11:28 AM |
| Thu 15 | 7:03 AM | 6:46 AM–7:41 AM | 5:33 PM–6:28 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:28 PM–6:39 PM | 11h 07m | 24% | 12:25 PM |
| Fri 16 | 7:05 AM | 6:47 AM–7:42 AM | 5:31 PM–6:26 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:26 PM–6:37 PM | 11h 05m | 33% | 1:13 PM |
| Sat 17 | 7:06 AM | 6:48 AM–7:44 AM | 5:30 PM–6:25 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:25 PM–6:36 PM | 11h 02m | 42% | 1:55 PM |
| Sun 18 | 7:07 AM | 6:50 AM–7:45 AM | 5:28 PM–6:23 PM | 6:06 PM | 6:23 PM–6:34 PM | 10h 59m | 51% | 2:30 PM |
| Mon 19 | 7:08 AM | 6:51 AM–7:46 AM | 5:26 PM–6:22 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:22 PM–6:33 PM | 10h 56m | 61% | 2:57 PM |
| Tue 20 | 7:09 AM | 6:52 AM–7:47 AM | 5:25 PM–6:20 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:20 PM–6:31 PM | 10h 54m | 70% | 3:22 PM |
| Wed 21 | 7:10 AM | 6:53 AM–7:49 AM | 5:23 PM–6:19 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:19 PM–6:30 PM | 10h 51m | 79% | 3:45 PM |
| Thu 22 | 7:12 AM | 6:54 AM–7:50 AM | 5:21 PM–6:17 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:17 PM–6:28 PM | 10h 48m | 86% | 4:05 PM |
| Fri 23 | 7:13 AM | 6:55 AM–7:51 AM | 5:20 PM–6:16 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:16 PM–6:27 PM | 10h 46m | 93% | 4:27 PM |
| Sat 24 | 7:14 AM | 6:56 AM–7:53 AM | 5:18 PM–6:15 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:15 PM–6:26 PM | 10h 43m | 97% | 4:49 PM |
| Sun 25 | 7:15 AM | 6:58 AM–7:54 AM | 5:17 PM–6:13 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:13 PM–6:24 PM | 10h 41m | 100% | 5:14 PM |
| Mon 26 | 7:16 AM | 6:59 AM–7:55 AM | 5:15 PM–6:12 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:12 PM–6:23 PM | 10h 38m | 99% | 5:45 PM |
| Tue 27 | 7:17 AM | 7:00 AM–7:57 AM | 5:14 PM–6:10 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:10 PM–6:21 PM | 10h 35m | 97% | 6:23 PM |
| Wed 28 | 7:19 AM | 7:01 AM–7:58 AM | 5:12 PM–6:09 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:09 PM–6:20 PM | 10h 33m | 92% | 7:11 PM |
| Thu 29 | 7:20 AM | 7:02 AM–7:59 AM | 5:11 PM–6:08 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:08 PM–6:19 PM | 10h 30m | 84% | 8:11 PM |
| Fri 30 | 7:21 AM | 7:03 AM–8:01 AM | 5:09 PM–6:07 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:07 PM–6:18 PM | 10h 28m | 75% | 9:23 PM |
| Sat 31 | 7:22 AM | 7:05 AM–8:02 AM | 5:08 PM–6:05 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:05 PM–6:16 PM | 10h 25m | 64% | 10:41 PM |
Highlighted rows are full and new moon days. Times are local (America/Chicago) and computed for Chicago city center.
Photo planning tips for October
- Peak fall color moves south through most states.
- The Milky Way core sets early in the evening — shoot it right after dark.
- The Orionid meteor shower peaks around October 21.
Other months
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FAQ
What time is sunset in Chicago in October?
Between 6:34 PM (on October 1) and 5:48 PM (on October 31), local time.
When is golden hour in Chicago in October?
On October 15 the evening golden hour is 5:33 PM–6:28 PM and the morning golden hour is 6:46 AM–7:41 AM.
When is the full moon in October 2026?
The moon is fullest on October 25; it rises around 5:14 PM in Chicago. Full moonrise at dusk is a classic landscape shot.