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42.0494° N92.9080° W287 mBortle 6Chicago

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Marshalltown, IA

Marshall County, Iowa · pop. 27,620

  • Sunrise 7:30 AM
  • Sunset 6:24 PM
  • Bortle 6

Marshalltown is a city of about 27,620 people in Marshall County, Iowa, at 287 m (942 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:30 AM and sets at 6:24 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:45 PM – 6:41 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Marshalltown

Live
Sunrise
7:30 AM
Sunset
6:24 PM
Golden hour AM
7:13 AM – 8:09 AM
Golden hour PM
5:45 PM – 6:41 PM
Blue hour AM
7:02 AM – 7:13 AM
Blue hour PM
6:41 PM – 6:52 PM
Full darkness
7:57 PM – 5:58 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:45 PM / 1:24 AM
Day length
10h 53m
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
January7:38 AM8:21 AM4:22 PM5:05 PM5:36 PM9h 27m
February7:09 AM7:48 AM5:06 PM5:45 PM6:13 PM10h 36m
March7:24 AM8:01 AM6:41 PM7:18 PM7:46 PM11h 54m
April6:32 AM7:09 AM7:15 PM7:53 PM8:22 PM13h 21m
May5:52 AM6:32 AM7:46 PM8:26 PM8:58 PM14h 34m
June5:36 AM6:19 AM8:07 PM8:50 PM9:24 PM15h 14m
July5:50 AM6:31 AM8:05 PM8:47 PM9:20 PM14h 57m
August6:20 AM6:59 AM7:35 PM8:14 PM8:44 PM13h 54m
September6:52 AM7:29 AM6:46 PM7:23 PM7:51 PM12h 31m
October7:25 AM8:03 AM5:53 PM6:31 PM7:00 PM11h 07m
November7:02 AM7:44 AM4:10 PM4:52 PM5:22 PM9h 49m
December7:34 AM8:19 AM3:57 PM4:42 PM5:13 PM9h 08m

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

Where the sun rises and sets in Marshalltown

At Marshalltown the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 25° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

Best photo spots near Marshalltown

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

Scenic Viewpoints

Scenic Viewpoint
Runnells Overlook73 km away · Warren County · 228 m
Scenic Viewpoint
North Overlook Park75 km away · Marion County · 240 m
Scenic Viewpoint
North Overlook Campground75 km away · Marion County · 250 m
Scenic Viewpoint
South Overlook Park77 km away · Marion County · 243 m

State Parks

Rock Creek State ParkState Park
Rock Creek State Park34 km away · Jasper County
Elk Rock State ParkState Park
Elk Rock State Park74 km away · Marion County

Botanical Gardens

Reiman GardensBotanical Garden
Reiman Gardens61 km away · Story County
Cedar Valley Arboretum & Botanic GardensBotanical Garden
Cedar Valley Arboretum & Botanic Gardens64 km away · Black Hawk County
Des Moines Botanical CenterBotanical Garden
Des Moines Botanical Center77 km away · Polk County
Iowa ArboretumBotanical Garden
Iowa Arboretum79 km away · Boone County

Covered Bridges

Carlisle Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Carlisle Covered Bridge76 km away · Warren County

National Wildlife Refuges

National Wildlife Refuge
Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge61 km away · Jasper County

Ghost Towns

Ghost Town
Secor32 km away · Hardin County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Marshalltown is estimated at Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Donnan, about 126 km (79 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
DonnanGhost Town126 km (79 mi)2
Backbone State ParkState Park128 km (80 mi)2
Springbrook State ParkState Park132 km (82 mi)2
IowavilleGhost Town144 km (89 mi)2
Chicken Ridge Scenic Overlook ParkScenic Viewpoint148 km (92 mi)2
LittleportGhost Town149 km (92 mi)2
SextonGhost Town150 km (93 mi)2
ElkportGhost Town155 km (96 mi)2
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
March4:52 AM – 5:42 AM0.815°
April2:44 AM – 4:44 AM2.019°
May12:53 AM – 3:53 AM3.019°
June11:02 PM – 3:22 AM4.319°
July10:52 PM – 2:02 AM3.219°
August10:01 PM – 12:01 AM2.018°
September8:59 PM – 9:59 PM1.015°

Cloud cover by month

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 46% 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 Marshalltown today?
Today the morning golden hour is 7:13 AM – 8:09 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:45 PM – 6:41 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Marshalltown in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:31 PM and blue hour ends around 7:00 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Marshalltown?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 8:52 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:44 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Marshalltown?
Good options nearby include Runnells Overlook, North Overlook Park, North Overlook Campground. Check each page's sunset azimuth to see whether the sun sets in view.
Can you see the Milky Way from Marshalltown?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 6). Drive to Donnan (126 km (79 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Marshalltown?
Occasionally. Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0 or higher to show on the northern horizon at this geomagnetic latitude (51°). Cameras pick it up before your eyes do.