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41.2619° N95.8608° W301 mBortle 8Chicago

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Council Bluffs, IA

Pottawattamie County, Iowa · pop. 62,597

  • Sunrise 7:41 AM
  • Sunset 6:36 PM
  • Bortle 8

Council Bluffs is a city of about 62,597 people in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, at 301 m (988 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:41 AM and sets at 6:36 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:59 PM – 6:54 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Council Bluffs

Live
Sunrise
7:41 AM
Sunset
6:36 PM
Golden hour AM
7:24 AM – 8:19 AM
Golden hour PM
5:59 PM – 6:54 PM
Blue hour AM
7:13 AM – 7:24 AM
Blue hour PM
6:54 PM – 7:04 PM
Full darkness
8:09 PM – 6:10 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:55 PM / 1:38 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
January7:48 AM8:30 AM4:37 PM5:19 PM5:50 PM9h 32m
February7:19 AM7:58 AM5:19 PM5:58 PM6:26 PM10h 39m
March7:36 AM8:13 AM6:54 PM7:30 PM7:58 PM11h 54m
April6:45 AM7:22 AM7:26 PM8:03 PM8:32 PM13h 19m
May6:06 AM6:45 AM7:56 PM8:35 PM9:07 PM14h 30m
June5:51 AM6:32 AM8:17 PM8:59 PM9:33 PM15h 08m
July6:04 AM6:45 AM8:15 PM8:56 PM9:29 PM14h 52m
August6:34 AM7:11 AM7:46 PM8:24 PM8:54 PM13h 51m
September7:05 AM7:41 AM6:58 PM7:35 PM8:02 PM12h 30m
October7:36 AM8:13 AM6:07 PM6:44 PM7:12 PM11h 08m
November7:12 AM7:53 AM4:24 PM5:06 PM5:35 PM9h 53m
December7:43 AM8:27 AM4:12 PM4:56 PM5:27 PM9h 13m

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

Where the sun rises and sets in Council Bluffs

At Council Bluffs 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 Council Bluffs

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

Scenic Viewpoints

Scenic Viewpoint
Murray Hill Overlook65 km away · Harrison County · 343 m

State Parks

Platte River State ParkState Park
Platte River State Park42 km away · Cass County
Eugene T. Mahoney State ParkState Park
Eugene T. Mahoney State Park46 km away · Saunders County
Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and ArboretumState Park
Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Arboretum65 km away · Otoe County
Waubonsie State ParkState Park
Waubonsie State Park67 km away · Fremont County

Lakes

Carter LakeLake
Carter Lake6.3 km away · Douglas County · 294 m

Botanical Gardens

Lauritzen GardensBotanical Garden
Lauritzen Gardens5.4 km away · Douglas County

National Wildlife Refuges

National Wildlife Refuge
Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuge23 km away · Washington County
DeSoto National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge29 km away · Washington County

Ghost Towns

Rock BluffGhost Town
Rock Bluff37 km away · Cass County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Council Bluffs is estimated at Bortle 8 (city sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Lake Anita State Park, about 92 km (57 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
Lake Anita State ParkState Park92 km (57 mi)2
Queen CityGhost Town101 km (63 mi)2
John G. Neihardt State Historic SiteState Park102 km (64 mi)2
St. DeroinGhost Town115 km (71 mi)2
Indian Cave State ParkState Park115 km (72 mi)2
Lucky ValleyGhost Town125 km (78 mi)2
Kings GroveGhost Town129 km (80 mi)2
Springbrook State ParkState Park130 km (81 mi)2
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
February5:40 AM – 5:40 AM0.010°
March4:52 AM – 5:52 AM1.016°
April2:52 AM – 5:02 AM2.219°
May12:49 AM – 4:09 AM3.320°
June11:07 PM – 3:37 AM4.520°
July10:57 PM – 2:17 AM3.320°
August10:08 PM – 12:08 AM2.019°
September9:08 PM – 10:08 PM1.016°
October8:15 PM – 8:15 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 February as the cloudiest (64%). 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 Council Bluffs today?
Today the morning golden hour is 7:24 AM – 8:19 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:59 PM – 6:54 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Council Bluffs in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:44 PM and blue hour ends around 7:12 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Council Bluffs?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 9:01 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:58 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Council Bluffs?
Good options nearby include Carter Lake, Murray Hill Overlook. Check each page's sunset azimuth to see whether the sun sets in view.
Can you see the Milky Way from Council Bluffs?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 8). Drive to Lake Anita State Park (92 km (57 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Council Bluffs?
Occasionally. Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5 or higher to show on the northern horizon at this geomagnetic latitude (50°). Cameras pick it up before your eyes do.