Liberal is a city of about 20,746 people in Seward County, Kansas, at 864 m (2,835 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:57 AM and sets at 7:02 PM; the evening golden hour runs 6:26 PM – 7:18 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour by month
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:57 AM | 8:36 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:19 PM | 9h 54m |
| February | 7:33 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:51 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 7:56 AM | 8:30 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:17 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 7:10 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:45 PM | 13h 09m |
| May | 6:36 AM | 7:13 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 09m |
| June | 6:24 AM | 7:03 AM | 8:27 PM | 9:06 PM | 9:37 PM | 14h 41m |
| July | 6:36 AM | 7:14 AM | 8:26 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:34 PM | 14h 28m |
| August | 7:01 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:05 PM | 13h 36m |
| September | 7:27 AM | 8:01 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:19 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:52 AM | 8:27 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 7:23 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 12m |
| December | 7:51 AM | 8:31 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:58 PM | 9h 38m |
Local time in America/Chicago, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Liberal
At Liberal the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 30° in winter.
Best photo spots near Liberal
3 photo locations lie within 80 km of Liberal. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
State Parks
National Wildlife Refuges
Ghost Towns
Night sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Liberal is estimated at Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Meade State Park, about 44 km (27 mi) away (Bortle 1). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from March to October, best in June.
Darkest skies within 200 km
| Location | Type | Distance | Est. Bortle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meade State Park | State Park | 44 km (27 mi) | 1 |
| Cline | Ghost Town | 84 km (52 mi) | 1 |
| Autograph Rock | Rock Formation | 155 km (97 mi) | 1 |
| Antelope Hills, Oklahoma | Mountain Peak | 157 km (98 mi) | 1 |
| Picture Canyon | Canyon | 162 km (101 mi) | 1 |
| Wisdom Tooth | Natural Arch | 164 km (102 mi) | 1 |
| Independence Arch | Natural Arch | 174 km (108 mi) | 1 |
| Black Mesa State Park | State Park | 175 km (109 mi) | 1 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 5:42 AM – 6:02 AM | 0.3 | 14° |
| March | 4:48 AM – 6:18 AM | 1.5 | 20° |
| April | 2:41 AM – 5:31 AM | 2.8 | 24° |
| May | 12:49 AM – 4:49 AM | 4.0 | 24° |
| June | 10:58 PM – 4:28 AM | 5.5 | 24° |
| July | 10:52 PM – 3:02 AM | 4.2 | 24° |
| August | 10:13 PM – 1:03 AM | 2.8 | 24° |
| September | 9:21 PM – 11:01 PM | 1.7 | 21° |
| October | 8:35 PM – 9:05 PM | 0.5 | 14° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 37% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (56%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.