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40.5142° N88.9906° W244 mBortle 8Chicago

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Normal, IL

McLean County, Illinois · pop. 54,373

  • Sunrise 7:13 AM
  • Sunset 6:10 PM
  • Bortle 8

Normal is a city of about 54,373 people in McLean County, Illinois, at 244 m (801 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:13 AM and sets at 6:10 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:33 PM – 6:27 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Normal

Live
Sunrise
7:13 AM
Sunset
6:10 PM
Golden hour AM
6:56 AM – 7:50 AM
Golden hour PM
5:33 PM – 6:27 PM
Blue hour AM
6:45 AM – 6:56 AM
Blue hour PM
6:27 PM – 6:38 PM
Full darkness
7:41 PM – 5:43 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:26 PM / 1:11 AM
Day length
10h 57m
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
January7:18 AM8:00 AM4:12 PM4:54 PM5:24 PM9h 36m
February6:51 AM7:29 AM4:53 PM5:31 PM5:59 PM10h 41m
March7:09 AM7:45 AM6:27 PM7:03 PM7:30 PM11h 54m
April6:18 AM6:55 AM6:58 PM7:35 PM8:03 PM13h 17m
May5:40 AM6:19 AM7:27 PM8:06 PM8:37 PM14h 26m
June5:26 AM6:07 AM7:48 PM8:29 PM9:02 PM15h 03m
July5:39 AM6:19 AM7:46 PM8:26 PM8:58 PM14h 47m
August6:07 AM6:45 AM7:18 PM7:55 PM8:25 PM13h 48m
September6:37 AM7:13 AM6:31 PM7:07 PM7:34 PM12h 29m
October7:07 AM7:44 AM5:40 PM6:17 PM6:45 PM11h 10m
November6:43 AM7:24 AM3:59 PM4:40 PM5:09 PM9h 57m
December7:13 AM7:57 AM3:47 PM4:31 PM5:02 PM9h 18m

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

Where the sun rises and sets in Normal

At Normal 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 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

Best photo spots near Normal

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

State Parks

Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife AreaState Park
Banner Marsh State Fish and Wildlife Area72 km away · Peoria County
Spring Lake State Fish and Wildlife AreaState Park
Spring Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area73 km away · Tazewell County
Jubilee College State ParkState Park
Jubilee College State Park75 km away · Peoria County
Sand Ridge State ForestState Park
Sand Ridge State Forest75 km away · Mason County

Lakes

Peoria LakeLake
Peoria Lake52 km away · Tazewell County · 136 m

Botanical Gardens

Fell ArboretumBotanical Garden
Fell Arboretum0.5 km away · McLean County
George L. Luthy Memorial Botanical GardenBotanical Garden
George L. Luthy Memorial Botanical Garden54 km away · Peoria County
Mabery Gelvin Botanical GardenBotanical Garden
Mabery Gelvin Botanical Garden61 km away · Champaign County
Robert Allerton ParkBotanical Garden
Robert Allerton Park64 km away · Piatt County

Covered Bridges

Lake of the Woods Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Lake of the Woods Covered Bridge62 km away · Champaign County

National Wildlife Refuges

National Wildlife Refuge
Cameron National Wildlife Refuge71 km away · Marshall County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Normal is estimated at Bortle 8 (city sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is White Oak Springs, about 170 km (106 mi) away (Bortle 2). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from March to September, best in June. Northern lights need roughly Kp 6.5+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.

Darkest skies within 200 km

LocationTypeDistanceEst. Bortle
White Oak SpringsGhost Town170 km (106 mi)2
Cameron National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge71 km (44 mi)3
Sand Ridge State ForestState Park75 km (47 mi)3
Chautauqua National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge87 km (54 mi)3
Middle Fork River Forest PreserveDark Sky Place87 km (54 mi)3
BourbonaisGhost Town107 km (66 mi)3
Snakeden Hollow State Fish and Wildlife AreaState Park107 km (67 mi)3
MidwayGhost Town108 km (67 mi)3
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
February5:13 AM – 5:13 AM0.011°
March4:24 AM – 5:34 AM1.217°
April2:23 AM – 4:33 AM2.220°
May12:18 AM – 3:38 AM3.321°
June10:34 PM – 3:14 AM4.721°
July10:25 PM – 1:55 AM3.521°
August9:38 PM – 11:48 PM2.220°
September8:40 PM – 9:50 PM1.217°
October7:48 PM – 7:48 PM0.011°

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 (71%). 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 Normal today?
Today the morning golden hour is 6:56 AM – 7:50 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:33 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 Normal in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:17 PM and blue hour ends around 6:45 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Normal?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 8:31 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:33 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Normal?
Good options nearby include Peoria Lake. Check each page's sunset azimuth to see whether the sun sets in view.
Can you see the Milky Way from Normal?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 8). Drive to White Oak Springs (170 km (106 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Normal?
Occasionally. Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5 or higher to show on the northern horizon at this geomagnetic latitude (49°). Cameras pick it up before your eyes do.