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45.0564° N92.8060° W212 mBortle 6Chicago

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Stillwater, MN

Washington County, Minnesota · pop. 18,924

  • Sunrise 7:34 AM
  • Sunset 6:19 PM
  • Bortle 6

Stillwater is a city of about 18,924 people in Washington County, Minnesota, at 212 m (696 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:34 AM and sets at 6:19 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:39 PM – 6:38 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Stillwater

Live
Sunrise
7:34 AM
Sunset
6:19 PM
Golden hour AM
7:16 AM – 8:15 AM
Golden hour PM
5:39 PM – 6:38 PM
Blue hour AM
7:04 AM – 7:16 AM
Blue hour PM
6:38 PM – 6:49 PM
Full darkness
7:57 PM – 5:57 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:50 PM / 1:16 AM
Day length
10h 45m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
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
January7:47 AM8:33 AM4:09 PM4:56 PM5:29 PM9h 09m
February7:13 AM7:55 AM4:58 PM5:39 PM6:10 PM10h 26m
March7:25 AM8:04 AM6:38 PM7:17 PM7:47 PM11h 53m
April6:27 AM7:07 AM7:17 PM7:57 PM8:27 PM13h 30m
May5:43 AM6:25 AM7:51 PM8:34 PM9:08 PM14h 51m
June5:25 AM6:10 AM8:15 PM9:01 PM9:38 PM15h 36m
July5:39 AM6:23 AM8:12 PM8:56 PM9:32 PM15h 17m
August6:14 AM6:54 AM7:39 PM8:20 PM8:52 PM14h 06m
September6:51 AM7:29 AM6:45 PM7:24 PM7:54 PM12h 33m
October7:27 AM8:08 AM5:48 PM6:28 PM6:57 PM11h 00m
November7:10 AM7:55 AM3:59 PM4:44 PM5:15 PM9h 34m
December7:44 AM8:32 AM3:42 PM4:31 PM5:05 PM8h 47m

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

Where the sun rises and sets in Stillwater

At Stillwater the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 22° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

Best photo spots near Stillwater

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

Scenic Viewpoints

Scenic Viewpoint
Lookout Point2.8 km away · Washington County · 204 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Taylor Falls Overlook - South40 km away · Chisago County · 232 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Overlook Lake Park51 km away · Hennepin County · 239 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Lookout Point58 km away · Hennepin County · 288 m

Waterfalls

Saint Anthony FallsWaterfall
Saint Anthony Falls37 km away · Hennepin County · 241 m
Waterfall
Apple River Falls13 km away · Saint Croix County · 226 m
Waterfall
Hidden Falls34 km away · Hennepin County
Waterfall
Cascade Falls (Osceola)34 km away · Saint Croix County
Minnehaha FallsWaterfall
Minnehaha Falls35 km away · Hennepin County · 247 m
Waterfall
Shadow Falls33 km away · Ramsey County · 255 m

State Parks

Willow River State ParkState Park
Willow River State Park10 km away · Saint Croix County
William O'Brien State ParkState Park
William O'Brien State Park18 km away · Washington County
Afton State ParkState Park
Afton State Park22 km away · Washington County
Kinnickinnic State ParkState Park
Kinnickinnic State Park26 km away · Pierce County
Fort Snelling State ParkState Park
Fort Snelling State Park35 km away · Dakota County
Interstate ParkState Park
Interstate Park39 km away · Polk County

Lakes

White Bear LakeLake
White Bear Lake14 km away · Washington County · 281 m
Amelia LakeLake
Amelia Lake21 km away · Anoka County · 276 m
Lake PhalenLake
Lake Phalen21 km away · Ramsey County · 262 m
Vadnais LakeLake
Vadnais Lake22 km away · Ramsey County · 269 m
Bennett LakeLake
Bennett Lake27 km away · Ramsey County · 270 m
Lake JosephineLake
Lake Josephine27 km away · Ramsey County · 270 m

Beaches

Beach
Cedar Lake East Beach42 km away · Hennepin County

Botanical Gardens

Como Park Zoo and ConservatoryBotanical Garden
Como Park Zoo and Conservatory28 km away · Ramsey County
Horton Park (Saint Paul, Minnesota)Botanical Garden
Horton Park (Saint Paul, Minnesota)30 km away · Ramsey County
University of Minnesota Landscape ArboretumBotanical Garden
University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum67 km away · Carver County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Stillwater is estimated at Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is St. Croix State Park, about 104 km (64 mi) away (Bortle 2). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from April to August, best in June. Northern lights need roughly Kp 4.5+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.

Darkest skies within 200 km

LocationTypeDistanceEst. Bortle
St. Croix State ParkState Park104 km (64 mi)2
Red Cedar LakeLake113 km (70 mi)2
Dorothy Lake State Natural AreaLake119 km (74 mi)2
Brunet Island State ParkState Park129 km (80 mi)2
Father Hennepin State ParkState Park132 km (82 mi)2
Mille Lacs National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge137 km (85 mi)2
Mille Lacs Kathio State ParkState Park140 km (87 mi)2
Mille Lacs Kathio Observation TowerFire Lookout140 km (87 mi)2
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
March5:15 AM – 5:35 AM0.312°
April3:14 AM – 4:34 AM1.315°
May1:12 AM – 3:22 AM2.216°
June11:33 PM – 2:43 AM3.216°
July11:17 PM – 1:27 AM2.216°
August10:14 PM – 11:24 PM1.215°
September9:04 PM – 9:24 PM0.312°

Cloud cover by month

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 49% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (69%). 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 Stillwater today?
Today the morning golden hour is 7:16 AM – 8:15 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:39 PM – 6:38 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Stillwater in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:28 PM and blue hour ends around 6:57 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Stillwater?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 9:03 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:33 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Stillwater?
Good options nearby include Lookout Point, White Bear Lake, Lake Phalen. Check each page's sunset azimuth to see whether the sun sets in view.
Can you see the Milky Way from Stillwater?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 6). Drive to St. Croix State Park (104 km (64 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Stillwater?
Occasionally. Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5 or higher to show on the northern horizon at this geomagnetic latitude (54°). Cameras pick it up before your eyes do.