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40.5675° N89.6407° W153 mBortle 7Chicago

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Pekin, IL

Tazewell County, Illinois · pop. 33,223

  • Sunrise 7:16 AM
  • Sunset 6:12 PM
  • Bortle 7

Pekin is a city of about 33,223 people in Tazewell County, Illinois, at 153 m (502 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:16 AM and sets at 6:12 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:35 PM – 6:29 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Pekin

Live
Sunrise
7:16 AM
Sunset
6:12 PM
Golden hour AM
6:59 AM – 7:53 AM
Golden hour PM
5:35 PM – 6:29 PM
Blue hour AM
6:48 AM – 6:59 AM
Blue hour PM
6:29 PM – 6:40 PM
Full darkness
7:44 PM – 5:45 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:28 PM / 1:14 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
January7:21 AM8:03 AM4:14 PM4:56 PM5:26 PM9h 36m
February6:53 AM7:31 AM4:56 PM5:34 PM6:02 PM10h 41m
March7:11 AM7:47 AM6:29 PM7:06 PM7:33 PM11h 54m
April6:21 AM6:57 AM7:01 PM7:38 PM8:06 PM13h 17m
May5:43 AM6:22 AM7:30 PM8:09 PM8:40 PM14h 26m
June5:28 AM6:09 AM7:51 PM8:32 PM9:05 PM15h 04m
July5:41 AM6:21 AM7:49 PM8:29 PM9:01 PM14h 48m
August6:10 AM6:47 AM7:20 PM7:58 PM8:27 PM13h 48m
September6:40 AM7:16 AM6:33 PM7:09 PM7:37 PM12h 29m
October7:10 AM7:47 AM5:43 PM6:20 PM6:47 PM11h 10m
November6:46 AM7:26 AM4:02 PM4:42 PM5:12 PM9h 56m
December7:16 AM7:59 AM3:50 PM4:33 PM5:04 PM9h 17m

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

Where the sun rises and sets in Pekin

At Pekin 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 Pekin

15 photo locations lie within 80 km of Pekin. 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 Area17 km away · Peoria County
Spring Lake State Fish and Wildlife AreaState Park
Spring Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area20 km away · Tazewell County
Sand Ridge State ForestState Park
Sand Ridge State Forest26 km away · Mason County
Jubilee College State ParkState Park
Jubilee College State Park30 km away · Peoria County
Snakeden Hollow State Fish and Wildlife AreaState Park
Snakeden Hollow State Fish and Wildlife Area62 km away · Knox County

Lakes

Peoria LakeLake
Peoria Lake17 km away · Tazewell County · 136 m

Botanical Gardens

George L. Luthy Memorial Botanical GardenBotanical Garden
George L. Luthy Memorial Botanical Garden18 km away · Peoria County
Fell ArboretumBotanical Garden
Fell Arboretum55 km away · McLean County
Starhill Forest ArboretumBotanical Garden
Starhill Forest Arboretum72 km away · Menard County

National Wildlife Refuges

Chautauqua National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge37 km away · Mason County
Emiquon National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge47 km away · Fulton County
National Wildlife Refuge
Cameron National Wildlife Refuge59 km away · Marshall County

Ghost Towns

Ghost Town
Civer40 km away · Fulton County
Ghost Town
Midway53 km away · Fulton County
Ghost Town
Sylvan74 km away · Cass County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Pekin is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is White Oak Springs, about 126 km (78 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 Town126 km (78 mi)2
Bunker HillGhost Town183 km (114 mi)2
Lacey-Keosauqua State ParkState Park198 km (123 mi)2
Sand Ridge State ForestState Park26 km (16 mi)3
Chautauqua National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge37 km (23 mi)3
MidwayGhost Town53 km (33 mi)3
Cameron National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge59 km (37 mi)3
Snakeden Hollow State Fish and Wildlife AreaState Park62 km (38 mi)3
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
February5:16 AM – 5:16 AM0.011°
March4:27 AM – 5:37 AM1.217°
April2:26 AM – 4:36 AM2.220°
May12:21 AM – 3:41 AM3.321°
June10:37 PM – 3:17 AM4.721°
July10:28 PM – 1:58 AM3.521°
August9:41 PM – 11:51 PM2.220°
September8:43 PM – 9:53 PM1.217°
October7:51 PM – 7:51 PM0.011°

Cloud cover by month

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 44% 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 Pekin today?
Today the morning golden hour is 6:59 AM – 7:53 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:35 PM – 6:29 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Pekin in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:20 PM and blue hour ends around 6:47 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Pekin?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 8:33 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:35 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Pekin?
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 Pekin?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 7). Drive to White Oak Springs (126 km (78 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Pekin?
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.