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41.6389° N87.6073° W184 mBortle 8Chicago

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Dolton, IL

Cook County, Illinois · pop. 23,197

  • Sunrise 7:09 AM
  • Sunset 6:03 PM
  • Bortle 8

Dolton is a city of about 23,197 people in Cook County, Illinois, at 184 m (604 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:09 AM and sets at 6:03 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:25 PM – 6:20 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Dolton

Live
Sunrise
7:09 AM
Sunset
6:03 PM
Golden hour AM
6:51 AM – 7:47 AM
Golden hour PM
5:25 PM – 6:20 PM
Blue hour AM
6:41 AM – 6:51 AM
Blue hour PM
6:20 PM – 6:31 PM
Full darkness
7:36 PM – 5:37 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:22 PM / 1:03 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
January7:16 AM7:59 AM4:02 PM4:45 PM5:16 PM9h 30m
February6:47 AM7:26 AM4:45 PM5:24 PM5:53 PM10h 37m
March7:03 AM7:40 AM6:20 PM6:57 PM7:25 PM11h 54m
April6:11 AM6:48 AM6:54 PM7:31 PM8:00 PM13h 20m
May5:32 AM6:12 AM7:24 PM8:03 PM8:35 PM14h 32m
June5:16 AM5:58 AM7:45 PM8:27 PM9:01 PM15h 11m
July5:30 AM6:11 AM7:43 PM8:24 PM8:57 PM14h 54m
August6:00 AM6:38 AM7:14 PM7:52 PM8:22 PM13h 52m
September6:31 AM7:08 AM6:25 PM7:02 PM7:30 PM12h 30m
October7:03 AM7:41 AM5:33 PM6:11 PM6:39 PM11h 08m
November6:40 AM7:22 AM3:50 PM4:32 PM5:01 PM9h 51m
December7:11 AM7:56 AM3:37 PM4:22 PM4:53 PM9h 11m

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

Where the sun rises and sets in Dolton

At Dolton the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (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 Dolton

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

Waterfalls

Waterfall Glen Forest PreserveWaterfall
Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve32 km away · DuPage County
Waterfall
Canyon Creek Falls33 km away · DuPage County · 213 m
Waterfall
Canyon Creek Cascade33 km away · DuPage County · 214 m

State Parks

Indiana Dunes State ParkState Park
Indiana Dunes State Park47 km away · Porter County
Channahon State ParkState Park
Channahon State Park57 km away · Will County
Kankakee River State ParkState Park
Kankakee River State Park59 km away · Kankakee County
Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife AreaState Park
Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area57 km away · Will County
Gebhard Woods State ParkState Park
Gebhard Woods State Park76 km away · Grundy County
Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife AreaState Park
Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area76 km away · Kendall County

Lakes

Lake CalumetLake
Lake Calumet4.8 km away · Cook County · 175 m
Wolf LakeLake
Wolf Lake7.6 km away · Cook County · 178 m
Long LakeLake
Long Lake33 km away · Porter County · 184 m
Lake OpekaLake
Lake Opeka48 km away · Cook County · 192 m
J C Murphey LakeLake
J C Murphey Lake74 km away · Newton County · 200 m

Lighthouses

Indiana Harbor East Breakwater LightLighthouse
Indiana Harbor East Breakwater Light15 km away · Lake County
Chicago Harbor LightLighthouse
Chicago Harbor Light28 km away · Cook County
Lighthouse
68th Street Crib Light18 km away · Cook County
Chicago Harbor Southeast Guidewall LightLighthouse
Chicago Harbor Southeast Guidewall Light28 km away · Cook County
Lighthouse
Four Mile Crib Light27 km away · Cook County
William E. Dever Crib LightLighthouse
William E. Dever Crib Light32 km away · Cook County

Beaches

Ohio Street BeachBeach
Ohio Street Beach29 km away · Cook County
Centennial BeachBeach
Centennial Beach48 km away · DuPage County
Central Avenue BeachBeach
Central Avenue Beach55 km away · Porter County

Botanical Gardens

Garfield ParkBotanical Garden
Garfield Park29 km away · Cook County
Indiana Botanic GardensBotanical Garden
Indiana Botanic Gardens27 km away · Lake County
Oak Park ConservatoryBotanical Garden
Oak Park Conservatory30 km away · Cook County
Lincoln Park ConservatoryBotanical Garden
Lincoln Park Conservatory32 km away · Cook County
Morton ArboretumBotanical Garden
Morton Arboretum43 km away · DuPage County
Taltree Arboretum and GardensBotanical Garden
Taltree Arboretum and Gardens43 km away · Porter County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Dolton is estimated at Bortle 8 (city sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Brisco, about 138 km (86 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
BriscoGhost Town138 km (86 mi)3
ChattertonGhost Town141 km (87 mi)3
Middle Fork River Forest PreserveDark Sky Place143 km (89 mi)3
SloanGhost Town149 km (93 mi)3
Portland ArchNatural Arch160 km (99 mi)3
Cameron National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge163 km (101 mi)3
BourbonaisGhost Town172 km (107 mi)3
Hennepin Canal Parkway State ParkState Park176 km (109 mi)3
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
March4:20 AM – 5:20 AM1.016°
April2:21 AM – 4:21 AM2.019°
May12:19 AM – 3:29 AM3.219°
June10:38 PM – 2:58 AM4.319°
July10:28 PM – 1:38 AM3.219°
August9:38 PM – 11:38 PM2.019°
September8:36 PM – 9:36 PM1.016°

Cloud cover by month

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (73%). 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 Dolton today?
Today the morning golden hour is 6:51 AM – 7:47 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:25 PM – 6:20 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Dolton in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:11 PM and blue hour ends around 6:39 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Dolton?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 8:29 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:24 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Dolton?
Good options nearby include Lake Calumet, Wolf Lake, Indiana Harbor East Breakwater Light. Check each page's sunset azimuth to see whether the sun sets in view.
Can you see the Milky Way from Dolton?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 8). Drive to Brisco (138 km (86 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Dolton?
Occasionally. Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0 or higher to show on the northern horizon at this geomagnetic latitude (50°). Cameras pick it up before your eyes do.