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41.6117° N93.8852° W314 mBortle 6Chicago

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Waukee, IA

Dallas County, Iowa · pop. 18,990

  • Sunrise 7:34 AM
  • Sunset 6:28 PM
  • Bortle 6

Waukee is a city of about 18,990 people in Dallas County, Iowa, at 314 m (1,030 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:34 AM and sets at 6:28 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:50 PM – 6:45 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Waukee

Live
Sunrise
7:34 AM
Sunset
6:28 PM
Golden hour AM
7:17 AM – 8:12 AM
Golden hour PM
5:50 PM – 6:45 PM
Blue hour AM
7:06 AM – 7:17 AM
Blue hour PM
6:45 PM – 6:56 PM
Full darkness
8:01 PM – 6:02 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:48 PM / 1:29 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
January7:41 AM8:24 AM4:28 PM5:10 PM5:41 PM9h 30m
February7:12 AM7:51 AM5:11 PM5:49 PM6:18 PM10h 37m
March7:28 AM8:05 AM6:46 PM7:22 PM7:50 PM11h 54m
April6:36 AM7:14 AM7:19 PM7:56 PM8:25 PM13h 20m
May5:57 AM6:37 AM7:49 PM8:29 PM9:00 PM14h 31m
June5:42 AM6:24 AM8:10 PM8:52 PM9:26 PM15h 11m
July5:55 AM6:36 AM8:08 PM8:49 PM9:22 PM14h 54m
August6:25 AM7:03 AM7:39 PM8:17 PM8:47 PM13h 52m
September6:57 AM7:33 AM6:50 PM7:27 PM7:55 PM12h 30m
October7:28 AM8:06 AM5:58 PM6:36 PM7:04 PM11h 08m
November7:05 AM7:47 AM4:15 PM4:57 PM5:27 PM9h 51m
December7:36 AM8:21 AM4:02 PM4:47 PM5:18 PM9h 11m

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

Where the sun rises and sets in Waukee

At Waukee 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 Waukee

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

Scenic Viewpoints

Scenic Viewpoint
Runnells Overlook49 km away · Warren County · 228 m
Scenic Viewpoint
South Overlook Park80 km away · Marion County · 243 m

State Parks

Walnut Woods State ParkState Park
Walnut Woods State Park14 km away · Polk County
Ledges State ParkState Park
Ledges State Park42 km away · Boone County
Lake Ahquabi State ParkState Park
Lake Ahquabi State Park44 km away · Warren County
Springbrook State ParkState Park
Springbrook State Park51 km away · Guthrie County
Elk Rock State ParkState Park
Elk Rock State Park70 km away · Marion County
State Park
Lake Anita State Park77 km away · Cass County

Botanical Gardens

Des Moines Botanical CenterBotanical Garden
Des Moines Botanical Center23 km away · Polk County
Iowa ArboretumBotanical Garden
Iowa Arboretum37 km away · Boone County
Botanical Garden
Buxton Park Arboretum38 km away · Warren County
Reiman GardensBotanical Garden
Reiman Gardens49 km away · Story County

Covered Bridges

McBride Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
McBride Covered Bridge21 km away · Madison County
Hogback Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Hogback Covered Bridge28 km away · Madison County
Holliwell Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Holliwell Covered Bridge33 km away · Madison County
Cutler–Donahoe BridgeCovered Bridge
Cutler–Donahoe Bridge33 km away · Madison County
Covered Bridge
Cedar Covered Bridge29 km away · Madison County
Imes BridgeCovered Bridge
Imes Bridge37 km away · Madison County

National Wildlife Refuges

National Wildlife Refuge
Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge51 km away · Jasper County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Waukee is estimated at Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Springbrook State Park, about 51 km (32 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 Park51 km (32 mi)2
Lake Anita State ParkState Park77 km (48 mi)2
Queen CityGhost Town96 km (60 mi)2
Big SpringGhost Town108 km (67 mi)2
Black Hawk State ParkState Park121 km (75 mi)2
West LibertyGhost Town140 km (87 mi)2
IowavilleGhost Town164 km (102 mi)2
SextonGhost Town164 km (102 mi)2
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
March4:45 AM – 5:45 AM1.016°
April2:46 AM – 4:46 AM2.019°
May12:44 AM – 3:54 AM3.220°
June11:02 PM – 3:32 AM4.520°
July10:52 PM – 2:02 AM3.220°
August10:02 PM – 12:02 AM2.019°
September9:02 PM – 10:02 PM1.016°
October8:08 PM – 8:08 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 Waukee today?
Today the morning golden hour is 7:17 AM – 8:12 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:50 PM – 6:45 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Waukee in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:36 PM and blue hour ends around 7:04 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Waukee?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 8:54 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:49 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Waukee?
Good options nearby include Runnells Overlook, South Overlook Park. Check each page's sunset azimuth to see whether the sun sets in view.
Can you see the Milky Way from Waukee?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 6). Drive to Springbrook State Park (51 km (32 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Waukee?
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.