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Flag of West Des Moines
41.5772° N93.7113° W252 mBortle 8Chicago

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in West Des Moines, IA

Polk County, Iowa · pop. 64,113

  • Sunrise 7:33 AM
  • Sunset 6:27 PM
  • Bortle 8

West Des Moines is a city of about 64,113 people in Polk County, Iowa, at 252 m (827 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:33 AM and sets at 6:27 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:49 PM – 6:45 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at West Des Moines

Live
Sunrise
7:33 AM
Sunset
6:27 PM
Golden hour AM
7:16 AM – 8:11 AM
Golden hour PM
5:49 PM – 6:45 PM
Blue hour AM
7:05 AM – 7:16 AM
Blue hour PM
6:45 PM – 6:56 PM
Full darkness
8:00 PM – 6:02 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 AM8:23 AM4:27 PM5:10 PM5:40 PM9h 30m
February7:11 AM7:50 AM5:10 PM5:49 PM6:17 PM10h 38m
March7:28 AM8:04 AM6:45 PM7:22 PM7:49 PM11h 54m
April6:36 AM7:13 AM7:18 PM7:55 PM8:24 PM13h 20m
May5:56 AM6:36 AM7:48 PM8:28 PM8:59 PM14h 31m
June5:41 AM6:23 AM8:09 PM8:51 PM9:25 PM15h 10m
July5:54 AM6:35 AM8:07 PM8:48 PM9:21 PM14h 54m
August6:24 AM7:02 AM7:38 PM8:16 PM8:46 PM13h 52m
September6:56 AM7:32 AM6:50 PM7:26 PM7:54 PM12h 30m
October7:27 AM8:05 AM5:57 PM6:35 PM7:03 PM11h 08m
November7:05 AM7:46 AM4:15 PM4:56 PM5:26 PM9h 52m
December7:35 AM8:20 AM4:02 PM4:46 PM5:18 PM9h 11m

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

Where the sun rises and sets in West Des Moines

At West 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 West Des Moines

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

Scenic Viewpoints

Scenic Viewpoint
Runnells Overlook34 km away · Warren County · 228 m
Scenic Viewpoint
South Overlook Park65 km away · Marion County · 243 m
Scenic Viewpoint
North Overlook Park65 km away · Marion County · 240 m
Scenic Viewpoint
North Overlook Campground66 km away · Marion County · 250 m

State Parks

Walnut Woods State ParkState Park
Walnut Woods State Park4.7 km away · Polk County
Lake Ahquabi State ParkState Park
Lake Ahquabi State Park34 km away · Warren County
Ledges State ParkState Park
Ledges State Park48 km away · Boone County
Elk Rock State ParkState Park
Elk Rock State Park56 km away · Marion County
Springbrook State ParkState Park
Springbrook State Park66 km away · Guthrie County
Red Haw State ParkState Park
Red Haw State Park74 km away · Lucas County

Botanical Gardens

Des Moines Botanical CenterBotanical Garden
Des Moines Botanical Center8.4 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 Gardens48 km away · Story County

Covered Bridges

Carlisle Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Carlisle Covered Bridge22 km away · Warren County
Imes BridgeCovered Bridge
Imes Bridge33 km away · Madison County
McBride Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
McBride Covered Bridge26 km away · Madison County
Holliwell Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Holliwell Covered Bridge35 km away · Madison County
Hogback Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Hogback Covered Bridge35 km away · Madison County
Cutler–Donahoe BridgeCovered Bridge
Cutler–Donahoe Bridge37 km away · Madison County

National Wildlife Refuges

National Wildlife Refuge
Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge36 km away · Jasper County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central West Des Moines is estimated at Bortle 8 (city sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Springbrook State Park, about 66 km (41 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 Park66 km (41 mi)2
Lake Anita State ParkState Park90 km (56 mi)2
Big SpringGhost Town101 km (63 mi)2
Queen CityGhost Town105 km (65 mi)2
West LibertyGhost Town131 km (81 mi)2
Black Hawk State ParkState Park135 km (84 mi)2
IowavilleGhost Town150 km (93 mi)2
SextonGhost Town170 km (106 mi)2
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
March4:44 AM – 5:44 AM1.016°
April2:45 AM – 4:45 AM2.019°
May12:43 AM – 3:53 AM3.220°
June11:01 PM – 3:31 AM4.520°
July10:51 PM – 2:01 AM3.220°
August10:01 PM – 12:01 AM2.019°
September9:01 PM – 10:01 PM1.016°
October8:07 PM – 8:07 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 West Des Moines today?
Today the morning golden hour is 7:16 AM – 8:11 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:49 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 West 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 West 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 West 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 West Des Moines?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 8). Drive to Springbrook State Park (66 km (41 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in West 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.