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Flag of Des Moines
41.6005° N93.6091° W266 mBortle 7Chicago

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Des Moines, IA

Polk County, Iowa · pop. 214,133

  • Sunrise 7:33 AM
  • Sunset 6:27 PM
  • Bortle 7

Des Moines is a city of about 214,133 people in Polk County, Iowa, at 266 m (873 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:33 AM and sets at 6:27 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:49 PM – 6:44 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Des Moines

Live
Sunrise
7:33 AM
Sunset
6:27 PM
Golden hour AM
7:15 AM – 8:11 AM
Golden hour PM
5:49 PM – 6:44 PM
Blue hour AM
7:05 AM – 7:15 AM
Blue hour PM
6:44 PM – 6:55 PM
Full darkness
8:00 PM – 6:01 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:47 PM / 1:28 AM
Day length
10h 54m
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
January7:40 AM8:22 AM4:26 PM5:09 PM5:40 PM9h 30m
February7:11 AM7:50 AM5:09 PM5:48 PM6:17 PM10h 37m
March7:27 AM8:04 AM6:45 PM7:21 PM7:49 PM11h 54m
April6:35 AM7:12 AM7:18 PM7:55 PM8:24 PM13h 20m
May5:56 AM6:36 AM7:48 PM8:27 PM8:59 PM14h 31m
June5:41 AM6:22 AM8:09 PM8:51 PM9:25 PM15h 11m
July5:54 AM6:35 AM8:07 PM8:48 PM9:21 PM14h 54m
August6:24 AM7:02 AM7:38 PM8:16 PM8:46 PM13h 52m
September6:55 AM7:32 AM6:49 PM7:26 PM7:54 PM12h 30m
October7:27 AM8:05 AM5:57 PM6:35 PM7:03 PM11h 08m
November7:04 AM7:46 AM4:14 PM4:56 PM5:26 PM9h 52m
December7:35 AM8:20 AM4:01 PM4:46 PM5:17 PM9h 11m

Local time in America/Chicago, daylight saving time included. Open a month for a day-by-day table with moon phases.

JanuarySunset 5:09 PM · 9h 30mFebruarySunset 5:48 PM · 10h 37mMarchSunset 7:21 PM · 11h 54mAprilSunset 7:55 PM · 13h 20mMaySunset 8:27 PM · 14h 31mJuneSunset 8:51 PM · 15h 11mJulySunset 8:48 PM · 14h 54mAugustSunset 8:16 PM · 13h 52mSeptemberSunset 7:26 PM · 12h 30mOctoberSunset 6:35 PM · 11h 08mNovemberSunset 4:56 PM · 9h 52mDecemberSunset 4:46 PM · 9h 11m

Where the sun rises and sets in Des Moines

At Des Moines 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 Des Moines

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

Scenic Viewpoints

Scenic Viewpoint
Runnells Overlook27 km away · Warren County · 228 m
Scenic Viewpoint
South Overlook Park58 km away · Marion County · 243 m
Scenic Viewpoint
North Overlook Park58 km away · Marion County · 240 m
Scenic Viewpoint
North Overlook Campground59 km away · Marion County · 250 m

State Parks

Walnut Woods State ParkState Park
Walnut Woods State Park13 km away · Polk County
Lake Ahquabi State ParkState Park
Lake Ahquabi State Park35 km away · Warren County
Elk Rock State ParkState Park
Elk Rock State Park49 km away · Marion County
Ledges State ParkState Park
Ledges State Park49 km away · Boone County
Rock Creek State ParkState Park
Rock Creek State Park66 km away · Jasper County
Red Haw State ParkState Park
Red Haw State Park73 km away · Lucas County

Botanical Gardens

Des Moines Botanical CenterBotanical Garden
Des Moines Botanical Center0.6 km away · Polk County
Botanical Garden
Buxton Park Arboretum26 km away · Warren County
Iowa ArboretumBotanical Garden
Iowa Arboretum43 km away · Boone County
Reiman GardensBotanical Garden
Reiman Gardens46 km away · Story County

Covered Bridges

Carlisle Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Carlisle Covered Bridge16 km away · Warren County
Imes BridgeCovered Bridge
Imes Bridge38 km away · Madison County
Holliwell Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Holliwell Covered Bridge43 km away · Madison County
McBride Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
McBride Covered Bridge34 km away · Madison County
Cutler–Donahoe BridgeCovered Bridge
Cutler–Donahoe Bridge45 km away · Madison County
Hogback Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Hogback Covered Bridge44 km away · Madison County

National Wildlife Refuges

National Wildlife Refuge
Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge28 km away · Jasper County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Des Moines is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Springbrook State Park, about 73 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 6.0+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.

Darkest skies within 200 km

LocationTypeDistanceEst. Bortle
Springbrook State ParkState Park73 km (46 mi)2
Lake Anita State ParkState Park99 km (62 mi)2
Big SpringGhost Town102 km (64 mi)2
Queen CityGhost Town113 km (70 mi)2
West LibertyGhost Town130 km (81 mi)2
Black Hawk State ParkState Park140 km (87 mi)2
IowavilleGhost Town144 km (90 mi)2
Lacey-Keosauqua State ParkState Park168 km (105 mi)2
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
March4:43 AM – 5:43 AM1.016°
April2:44 AM – 4:44 AM2.019°
May12:42 AM – 3:52 AM3.220°
June11:00 PM – 3:30 AM4.520°
July10:50 PM – 2:00 AM3.220°
August10:00 PM – 12:00 AM2.019°
September9:00 PM – 10:00 PM1.016°
October8:06 PM – 8:06 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 January as the cloudiest (65%). 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 Des Moines today?
Today the morning golden hour is 7:15 AM – 8:11 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:49 PM – 6:44 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Des Moines in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:35 PM and blue hour ends around 7:03 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Des Moines?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 8:53 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:48 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Des Moines?
Good options nearby include Runnells Overlook, South Overlook Park, North Overlook Park. Check each page's sunset azimuth to see whether the sun sets in view.
Can you see the Milky Way from Des Moines?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 7). Drive to Springbrook State Park (73 km (46 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Des Moines?
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.