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41.4959° N87.8487° W232 mBortle 7Chicago

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Frankfort, IL

Will County, Illinois · pop. 18,653

  • Sunrise 7:10 AM
  • Sunset 6:04 PM
  • Bortle 7

Frankfort is a city of about 18,653 people in Will County, Illinois, at 232 m (761 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:10 AM and sets at 6:04 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:26 PM – 6:21 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Frankfort

Live
Sunrise
7:10 AM
Sunset
6:04 PM
Golden hour AM
6:52 AM – 7:48 AM
Golden hour PM
5:26 PM – 6:21 PM
Blue hour AM
6:41 AM – 6:52 AM
Blue hour PM
6:21 PM – 6:32 PM
Full darkness
7:37 PM – 5:38 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:23 PM / 1:05 AM
Day length
10h 55m
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 AM4:04 PM4:47 PM5:17 PM9h 30m
February6:48 AM7:26 AM4:47 PM5:25 PM5:54 PM10h 38m
March7:04 AM7:41 AM6:22 PM6:58 PM7:26 PM11h 54m
April6:12 AM6:49 AM6:55 PM7:32 PM8:01 PM13h 19m
May5:33 AM6:13 AM7:24 PM8:04 PM8:36 PM14h 31m
June5:18 AM6:00 AM7:46 PM8:28 PM9:02 PM15h 10m
July5:31 AM6:12 AM7:44 PM8:25 PM8:58 PM14h 54m
August6:01 AM6:39 AM7:15 PM7:53 PM8:22 PM13h 52m
September6:32 AM7:09 AM6:26 PM7:03 PM7:30 PM12h 30m
October7:04 AM7:41 AM5:34 PM6:12 PM6:40 PM11h 08m
November6:41 AM7:22 AM3:52 PM4:33 PM5:03 PM9h 52m
December7:12 AM7:56 AM3:39 PM4:23 PM4:55 PM9h 12m

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

Where the sun rises and sets in Frankfort

At Frankfort 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 Frankfort

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

Waterfalls

Waterfall Glen Forest PreserveWaterfall
Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve28 km away · DuPage County
Waterfall
Canyon Creek Falls25 km away · DuPage County · 213 m
Waterfall
Canyon Creek Cascade26 km away · DuPage County · 214 m
Waterfall
Great Falls of the Illinois River75 km away · LaSalle County · 141 m

State Parks

Channahon State ParkState Park
Channahon State Park33 km away · Will County
Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife AreaState Park
Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area32 km away · Will County
Kankakee River State ParkState Park
Kankakee River State Park35 km away · Kankakee County
Gebhard Woods State ParkState Park
Gebhard Woods State Park51 km away · Grundy County
Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife AreaState Park
Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area58 km away · Kendall County
Indiana Dunes State ParkState Park
Indiana Dunes State Park70 km away · Porter County

Lakes

Lake CalumetLake
Lake Calumet30 km away · Cook County · 175 m
Wolf LakeLake
Wolf Lake33 km away · Cook County · 178 m
Long LakeLake
Long Lake55 km away · Porter County · 184 m
Lake OpekaLake
Lake Opeka58 km away · Cook County · 192 m
J C Murphey LakeLake
J C Murphey Lake64 km away · Newton County · 200 m

Lighthouses

Indiana Harbor East Breakwater LightLighthouse
Indiana Harbor East Breakwater Light40 km away · Lake County
Chicago Harbor LightLighthouse
Chicago Harbor Light49 km away · Cook County
Lighthouse
68th Street Crib Light42 km away · Cook County
Chicago Harbor Southeast Guidewall LightLighthouse
Chicago Harbor Southeast Guidewall Light48 km away · Cook County
William E. Dever Crib LightLighthouse
William E. Dever Crib Light52 km away · Cook County
Lighthouse
Four Mile Crib Light49 km away · Cook County

Beaches

Centennial BeachBeach
Centennial Beach40 km away · DuPage County
Ohio Street BeachBeach
Ohio Street Beach49 km away · Cook County
Central Avenue BeachBeach
Central Avenue Beach78 km away · Porter County

Botanical Gardens

Morton ArboretumBotanical Garden
Morton Arboretum40 km away · DuPage County
Oak Park ConservatoryBotanical Garden
Oak Park Conservatory42 km away · Cook County
Garfield ParkBotanical Garden
Garfield Park45 km away · Cook County
Lilacia ParkBotanical Garden
Lilacia Park46 km away · DuPage County
Indiana Botanic GardensBotanical Garden
Indiana Botanic Gardens46 km away · Lake County
Lincoln Park ConservatoryBotanical Garden
Lincoln Park Conservatory51 km away · Cook County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Frankfort is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Middle Fork River Forest Preserve, about 124 km (77 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
Middle Fork River Forest PreserveDark Sky Place124 km (77 mi)3
BriscoGhost Town127 km (79 mi)3
ChattertonGhost Town132 km (82 mi)3
SloanGhost Town136 km (85 mi)3
Cameron National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge139 km (86 mi)3
Portland ArchNatural Arch148 km (92 mi)3
BourbonaisGhost Town150 km (93 mi)3
Hennepin Canal Parkway State ParkState Park154 km (96 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 AM3.220°
June10:37 PM – 3:07 AM4.520°
July10:27 PM – 1:37 AM3.220°
August9:37 PM – 11:37 PM2.019°
September8:37 PM – 9:37 PM1.016°
October7:43 PM – 7:43 PM0.010°

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 Frankfort today?
Today the morning golden hour is 6:52 AM – 7:48 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:26 PM – 6:21 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Frankfort in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:12 PM and blue hour ends around 6:40 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Frankfort?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 8:29 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:25 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Frankfort?
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 Frankfort?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 7). Drive to Middle Fork River Forest Preserve (124 km (77 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Frankfort?
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.