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39.8403° N88.9548° W205 mBortle 7Chicago

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Decatur, IL

Macon County, Illinois · pop. 73,254

  • Sunrise 7:12 AM
  • Sunset 6:11 PM
  • Bortle 7

Decatur is a city of about 73,254 people in Macon County, Illinois, at 205 m (673 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:12 AM and sets at 6:11 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:34 PM – 6:27 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Decatur

Live
Sunrise
7:12 AM
Sunset
6:11 PM
Golden hour AM
6:55 AM – 7:49 AM
Golden hour PM
5:34 PM – 6:27 PM
Blue hour AM
6:45 AM – 6:55 AM
Blue hour PM
6:27 PM – 6:38 PM
Full darkness
7:41 PM – 5:43 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:24 PM / 1:12 AM
Day length
10h 59m
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
January7:16 AM7:57 AM4:14 PM4:56 PM5:25 PM9h 40m
February6:49 AM7:27 AM4:55 PM5:32 PM6:00 PM10h 43m
March7:08 AM7:44 AM6:27 PM7:03 PM7:30 PM11h 55m
April6:19 AM6:55 AM6:58 PM7:34 PM8:02 PM13h 15m
May5:42 AM6:20 AM7:26 PM8:04 PM8:35 PM14h 22m
June5:28 AM6:08 AM7:46 PM8:27 PM8:59 PM14h 59m
July5:41 AM6:20 AM7:44 PM8:24 PM8:56 PM14h 43m
August6:09 AM6:46 AM7:17 PM7:54 PM8:23 PM13h 45m
September6:38 AM7:13 AM6:31 PM7:06 PM7:33 PM12h 29m
October7:07 AM7:43 AM5:41 PM6:18 PM6:45 PM11h 11m
November6:41 AM7:21 AM4:01 PM4:41 PM5:10 PM10h 00m
December7:11 AM7:54 AM3:50 PM4:33 PM5:03 PM9h 22m

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

Where the sun rises and sets in Decatur

At Decatur the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

Best photo spots near Decatur

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

State Parks

Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices State Historic SiteState Park
Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices State Historic Site59 km away · Sangamon County

Botanical Gardens

Robert Allerton ParkBotanical Garden
Robert Allerton Park31 km away · Piatt County
Abraham Lincoln Memorial GardenBotanical Garden
Abraham Lincoln Memorial Garden57 km away · Sangamon County
Washington ParkBotanical Garden
Washington Park62 km away · Sangamon County
Mabery Gelvin Botanical GardenBotanical Garden
Mabery Gelvin Botanical Garden63 km away · Champaign County
University of Illinois ArboretumBotanical Garden
University of Illinois Arboretum69 km away · Champaign County
Starhill Forest ArboretumBotanical Garden
Starhill Forest Arboretum73 km away · Menard County

Covered Bridges

Sugar Creek Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Sugar Creek Covered Bridge64 km away · Sangamon County
Thompson Mill Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Thompson Mill Covered Bridge66 km away · Shelby County
Lake of the Woods Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Lake of the Woods Covered Bridge63 km away · Champaign County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Decatur is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is White Oak Springs, about 159 km (99 mi) away (Bortle 2). 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
White Oak SpringsGhost Town159 km (99 mi)2
Thompson Mill Covered BridgeCovered Bridge66 km (41 mi)3
Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic SiteState Park82 km (51 mi)3
GurneyGhost Town94 km (58 mi)3
SylvanGhost Town97 km (60 mi)3
Sand Ridge State ForestState Park100 km (62 mi)3
Elm PointGhost Town103 km (64 mi)3
Middle Fork River Forest PreserveDark Sky Place103 km (64 mi)3
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
February5:03 AM – 5:13 AM0.211°
March4:13 AM – 5:33 AM1.318°
April2:11 AM – 4:41 AM2.521°
May12:14 AM – 3:44 AM3.521°
June10:28 PM – 3:18 AM4.821°
July10:20 PM – 2:00 AM3.721°
August9:35 PM – 11:55 PM2.321°
September8:38 PM – 9:58 PM1.318°
October7:48 PM – 7:58 PM0.212°

Cloud cover by month

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (69%). 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 Decatur today?
Today the morning golden hour is 6:55 AM – 7:49 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:34 PM – 6:27 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Decatur in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:18 PM and blue hour ends around 6:45 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Decatur?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 8:28 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:35 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Decatur?
Look for west-facing high ground or open water; the sunset azimuth table shows where the sun goes down each season.
Can you see the Milky Way from Decatur?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 7). Drive to White Oak Springs (159 km (99 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Decatur?
Occasionally. Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0 or higher to show on the northern horizon at this geomagnetic latitude (49°). Cameras pick it up before your eyes do.