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40.8075° N91.1129° W185 mBortle 6Chicago

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Burlington, IA

Des Moines County, Iowa · pop. 25,410

  • Sunrise 7:22 AM
  • Sunset 6:18 PM
  • Bortle 6

Burlington is a city of about 25,410 people in Des Moines County, Iowa, at 185 m (607 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:22 AM and sets at 6:18 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:40 PM – 6:35 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Burlington

Live
Sunrise
7:22 AM
Sunset
6:18 PM
Golden hour AM
7:05 AM – 7:59 AM
Golden hour PM
5:40 PM – 6:35 PM
Blue hour AM
6:54 AM – 7:05 AM
Blue hour PM
6:35 PM – 6:46 PM
Full darkness
7:49 PM – 5:51 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:35 PM / 1:19 AM
Day length
10h 56m
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 AM4:19 PM5:02 PM5:32 PM9h 34m
February7:00 AM7:38 AM5:01 PM5:39 PM6:08 PM10h 40m
March7:17 AM7:53 AM6:35 PM7:11 PM7:39 PM11h 54m
April6:26 AM7:03 AM7:07 PM7:44 PM8:12 PM13h 18m
May5:48 AM6:27 AM7:36 PM8:15 PM8:46 PM14h 27m
June5:33 AM6:15 AM7:57 PM8:38 PM9:12 PM15h 05m
July5:46 AM6:27 AM7:55 PM8:36 PM9:08 PM14h 49m
August6:15 AM6:53 AM7:27 PM8:04 PM8:34 PM13h 49m
September6:46 AM7:22 AM6:39 PM7:15 PM7:43 PM12h 30m
October7:16 AM7:53 AM5:48 PM6:26 PM6:53 PM11h 09m
November6:52 AM7:33 AM4:07 PM4:48 PM5:17 PM9h 55m
December7:23 AM8:06 AM3:55 PM4:38 PM5:09 PM9h 16m

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

Where the sun rises and sets in Burlington

At Burlington 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 Burlington

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

Scenic Viewpoints

Scenic Viewpoint
Mark Twain Overlook69 km away · Muscatine County · 184 m

State Parks

Geode State ParkState Park
Geode State Park23 km away · Henry County
State Park
Big River State Forest28 km away · Henderson County
Argyle Lake State ParkState Park
Argyle Lake State Park48 km away · McDonough County
Lacey-Keosauqua State ParkState Park
Lacey-Keosauqua State Park74 km away · Van Buren County
Wildcat Den State ParkState Park
Wildcat Den State Park76 km away · Muscatine County
Lake Darling State ParkState Park
Lake Darling State Park78 km away · Jefferson County

Botanical Gardens

Crapo ParkBotanical Garden
Crapo Park3.6 km away · Des Moines County

Covered Bridges

Oquawka Wagon BridgeCovered Bridge
Oquawka Wagon Bridge17 km away · Henderson County

National Wildlife Refuges

National Wildlife Refuge
Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge44 km away · Mercer County
National Wildlife Refuge
Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge37 km away · Mercer County
National Wildlife Refuge
Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge53 km away · Louisa County

Ghost Towns

Ghost Town
Midway74 km away · Fulton County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Burlington is estimated at Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Lacey-Keosauqua State Park, about 74 km (46 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
Lacey-Keosauqua State ParkState Park74 km (46 mi)2
Bunker HillGhost Town88 km (54 mi)2
IowavilleGhost Town90 km (56 mi)2
White Oak SpringsGhost Town106 km (66 mi)2
Cherry DellGhost Town119 km (74 mi)2
Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic SiteState Park157 km (98 mi)2
Mark Twain State ParkState Park158 km (98 mi)2
LongvilleGhost Town162 km (100 mi)2
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
February5:21 AM – 5:21 AM0.011°
March4:32 AM – 5:42 AM1.217°
April2:32 AM – 4:42 AM2.220°
May12:27 AM – 3:47 AM3.320°
June10:44 PM – 3:24 AM4.720°
July10:35 PM – 1:55 AM3.320°
August9:47 PM – 11:57 PM2.220°
September8:48 PM – 9:58 PM1.217°
October7:56 PM – 7:56 PM0.011°

Cloud cover by month

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (67%). 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 Burlington today?
Today the morning golden hour is 7:05 AM – 7:59 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:40 PM – 6:35 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Burlington in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:26 PM and blue hour ends around 6:53 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Burlington?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 8:40 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:41 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Burlington?
Good options nearby include Mark Twain Overlook. Check each page's sunset azimuth to see whether the sun sets in view.
Can you see the Milky Way from Burlington?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 6). Drive to Lacey-Keosauqua State Park (74 km (46 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Burlington?
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.