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Flag of Lawrence
39.8387° N86.0253° W266 mBortle 7Indianapolis

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Lawrence, IN

Marion County, Indiana · pop. 47,809

  • Sunrise 8:00 AM
  • Sunset 6:59 PM
  • Bortle 7

Lawrence is a city of about 47,809 people in Marion County, Indiana, at 266 m (873 ft). Today the sun rises at 8:00 AM and sets at 6:59 PM; the evening golden hour runs 6:22 PM – 7:16 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Lawrence

Live
Sunrise
8:00 AM
Sunset
6:59 PM
Golden hour AM
7:43 AM – 8:37 AM
Golden hour PM
6:22 PM – 7:16 PM
Blue hour AM
7:33 AM – 7:43 AM
Blue hour PM
7:16 PM – 7:26 PM
Full darkness
8:29 PM – 6:31 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
4:12 PM / 2:01 AM
Day length
10h 59m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Indiana/Indianapolis. 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
January8:04 AM8:46 AM5:03 PM5:44 PM6:14 PM9h 40m
February7:38 AM8:15 AM5:43 PM6:21 PM6:48 PM10h 43m
March7:57 AM8:32 AM7:15 PM7:51 PM8:18 PM11h 55m
April7:07 AM7:43 AM7:46 PM8:22 PM8:50 PM13h 15m
May6:30 AM7:09 AM8:14 PM8:52 PM9:23 PM14h 22m
June6:16 AM6:57 AM8:34 PM9:15 PM9:48 PM14h 59m
July6:29 AM7:09 AM8:33 PM9:12 PM9:44 PM14h 44m
August6:57 AM7:34 AM8:05 PM8:42 PM9:11 PM13h 45m
September7:26 AM8:02 AM7:19 PM7:55 PM8:22 PM12h 29m
October7:55 AM8:32 AM6:30 PM7:06 PM7:33 PM11h 11m
November7:30 AM8:10 AM4:50 PM5:30 PM5:58 PM10h 00m
December7:59 AM8:42 AM4:38 PM5:21 PM5:51 PM9h 22m

Local time in America/Indiana/Indianapolis, daylight saving time included.

Where the sun rises and sets in Lawrence

At Lawrence 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 Lawrence

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

Scenic Viewpoints

Scenic Viewpoint
Little Africa Wildlife Viewing Area71 km away · Brown County · 192 m

Waterfalls

Waterfall
Vermillion Falls77 km away · Putnam County · 249 m

State Parks

Fort Harrison State ParkState Park
Fort Harrison State Park3.2 km away · Marion County
White River State ParkState Park
White River State Park15 km away · Marion County
Mounds State ParkState Park
Mounds State Park45 km away · Madison County
Summit Lake State ParkState Park
Summit Lake State Park65 km away · Henry County

Lakes

Lake LemonLake
Lake Lemon72 km away · Monroe County · 189 m

Botanical Gardens

White River GardensBotanical Garden
White River Gardens15 km away · Marion County
Garfield Park Conservatory and GardensBotanical Garden
Garfield Park Conservatory and Gardens15 km away · Marion County
Christy WoodsBotanical Garden
Christy Woods66 km away · Delaware County
Wheeler Orchid Collection and Species BankBotanical Garden
Wheeler Orchid Collection and Species Bank66 km away · Delaware County
MinnetristaBotanical Garden
Minnetrista68 km away · Delaware County

Covered Bridges

Potter's Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Potter's Covered Bridge26 km away · Hamilton County
Offutt Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Offutt Covered Bridge46 km away · Rush County
Covered Bridge
Arlington South Covered Bridge44 km away · Rush County
Forsythe Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Forsythe Covered Bridge55 km away · Rush County
Moscow Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Moscow Covered Bridge56 km away · Rush County
Smith Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Smith Covered Bridge57 km away · Rush County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Lawrence is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Cataract Falls, about 81 km (50 mi) away (Bortle 3). 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
Cataract FallsWaterfall81 km (50 mi)3
Cataract Falls Covered BridgeCovered Bridge81 km (50 mi)3
Hargrave Covered BridgeCovered Bridge87 km (54 mi)3
Groundhog FallsWaterfall88 km (55 mi)3
Hollandsburg Covered BridgeCovered Bridge88 km (55 mi)3
Hulman BeachBeach89 km (55 mi)3
Deer's Mill Covered BridgeCovered Bridge89 km (55 mi)3
Portland Mills Covered BridgeCovered Bridge91 km (56 mi)3
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
February5:51 AM – 6:01 AM0.211°
March5:01 AM – 6:21 AM1.318°
April2:58 AM – 5:28 AM2.521°
May1:02 AM – 4:32 AM3.521°
June11:16 PM – 4:06 AM4.821°
July11:08 PM – 2:48 AM3.721°
August10:23 PM – 12:43 AM2.321°
September9:26 PM – 10:46 PM1.318°
October8:36 PM – 8:46 PM0.212°

Cloud cover by month

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (72%). 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 Lawrence today?
Today the morning golden hour is 7:43 AM – 8:37 AM and the evening golden hour is 6:22 PM – 7:16 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Lawrence in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 7:06 PM and blue hour ends around 7:33 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Lawrence?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 9:17 PM — and earliest in December, around 5:23 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Lawrence?
Good options nearby include Little Africa Wildlife Viewing Area, Lake Lemon, Weed Patch Hill. Check each page's sunset azimuth to see whether the sun sets in view.
Can you see the Milky Way from Lawrence?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 7). Drive to Cataract Falls (81 km (50 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Lawrence?
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.