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41.5245° N90.5157° W173 mBortle 8Chicago

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Bettendorf, IA

Scott County, Iowa · pop. 35,505

  • Sunrise 7:20 AM
  • Sunset 6:15 PM
  • Bortle 8

Bettendorf is a city of about 35,505 people in Scott County, Iowa, at 173 m (568 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:20 AM and sets at 6:15 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:37 PM – 6:32 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Bettendorf

Live
Sunrise
7:20 AM
Sunset
6:15 PM
Golden hour AM
7:03 AM – 7:58 AM
Golden hour PM
5:37 PM – 6:32 PM
Blue hour AM
6:52 AM – 7:03 AM
Blue hour PM
6:32 PM – 6:43 PM
Full darkness
7:47 PM – 5:49 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:34 PM / 1:15 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
January7:27 AM8:10 AM4:14 PM4:57 PM5:28 PM9h 30m
February6:58 AM7:37 AM4:57 PM5:36 PM6:04 PM10h 38m
March7:15 AM7:52 AM6:32 PM7:09 PM7:37 PM11h 54m
April6:23 AM7:00 AM7:05 PM7:42 PM8:11 PM13h 20m
May5:44 AM6:24 AM7:35 PM8:15 PM8:46 PM14h 31m
June5:28 AM6:10 AM7:56 PM8:38 PM9:12 PM15h 10m
July5:42 AM6:23 AM7:55 PM8:35 PM9:08 PM14h 54m
August6:12 AM6:50 AM7:25 PM8:03 PM8:33 PM13h 52m
September6:43 AM7:20 AM6:37 PM7:13 PM7:41 PM12h 30m
October7:15 AM7:52 AM5:45 PM6:22 PM6:50 PM11h 08m
November6:52 AM7:33 AM4:02 PM4:44 PM5:13 PM9h 52m
December7:22 AM8:07 AM3:49 PM4:34 PM5:05 PM9h 11m

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

Where the sun rises and sets in Bettendorf

At Bettendorf 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 Bettendorf

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

Scenic Viewpoints

Scenic Viewpoint
Mark Twain Overlook45 km away · Muscatine County · 184 m

State Parks

Wildcat Den State ParkState Park
Wildcat Den State Park31 km away · Muscatine County
Albany Mounds State Historic SiteState Park
Albany Mounds State Historic Site37 km away · Whiteside County
Johnson-Sauk Trail State Recreation AreaState Park
Johnson-Sauk Trail State Recreation Area57 km away · Bureau County
Morrison-Rockwood State ParkState Park
Morrison-Rockwood State Park58 km away · Whiteside County
Snakeden Hollow State Fish and Wildlife AreaState Park
Snakeden Hollow State Fish and Wildlife Area68 km away · Knox County
State Park
Big River State Forest66 km away · Henderson County

Botanical Gardens

Vander Veer Botanical ParkBotanical Garden
Vander Veer Botanical Park5.4 km away · Scott County
Quad City Botanical CenterBotanical Garden
Quad City Botanical Center4.4 km away · Rock Island County
Longview Park Conservatory and GardensBotanical Garden
Longview Park Conservatory and Gardens5.9 km away · Rock Island County
Bickelhaupt ArboretumBotanical Garden
Bickelhaupt Arboretum43 km away · Clinton County

Covered Bridges

Morrison Covered Bridge 13-98-BCovered Bridge
Morrison Covered Bridge 13-98-B56 km away · Whiteside County
Oquawka Wagon BridgeCovered Bridge
Oquawka Wagon Bridge79 km away · Henderson County

Natural Arches

Natural Arch
Maquoketa Caves Natural Bridge69 km away · Jackson County

National Wildlife Refuges

National Wildlife Refuge
Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge56 km away · Mercer County
National Wildlife Refuge
Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge56 km away · Louisa County
National Wildlife Refuge
Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge58 km away · Mercer County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Bettendorf is estimated at Bortle 8 (city sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Elkport, about 149 km (93 mi) away (Bortle 2). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from March to September, best in June. Northern lights need roughly Kp 6.0+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.

Darkest skies within 200 km

LocationTypeDistanceEst. Bortle
ElkportGhost Town149 km (93 mi)2
Backbone State ParkState Park150 km (94 mi)2
Bussey LakeLake151 km (94 mi)2
Lacey-Keosauqua State ParkState Park153 km (95 mi)2
LittleportGhost Town154 km (96 mi)2
IowavilleGhost Town156 km (97 mi)2
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge159 km (99 mi)2
Chicken Ridge Scenic Overlook ParkScenic Viewpoint161 km (100 mi)2
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
March4:31 AM – 5:31 AM1.016°
April2:32 AM – 4:32 AM2.019°
May12:30 AM – 3:40 AM3.220°
June10:48 PM – 3:18 AM4.520°
July10:38 PM – 1:48 AM3.220°
August9:48 PM – 11:48 PM2.019°
September8:48 PM – 9:48 PM1.016°
October7:54 PM – 7:54 PM0.010°

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 (68%). 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 Bettendorf today?
Today the morning golden hour is 7:03 AM – 7:58 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:37 PM – 6:32 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Bettendorf in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:22 PM and blue hour ends around 6:50 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Bettendorf?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 8:40 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:36 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Bettendorf?
Good options nearby include Mark Twain Overlook, Maquoketa Caves Natural Bridge. Check each page's sunset azimuth to see whether the sun sets in view.
Can you see the Milky Way from Bettendorf?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 8). Drive to Elkport (149 km (93 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Bettendorf?
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.