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39.0911° N94.4155° W315 mBortle 8Chicago

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Independence, MO

Jackson County, Missouri · pop. 117,255

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

Independence is a city of about 117,255 people in Jackson County, Missouri, at 315 m (1,033 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:33 AM and sets at 6:33 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:57 PM – 6:50 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Independence

Live
Sunrise
7:33 AM
Sunset
6:33 PM
Golden hour AM
7:16 AM – 8:09 AM
Golden hour PM
5:57 PM – 6:50 PM
Blue hour AM
7:06 AM – 7:16 AM
Blue hour PM
6:50 PM – 7:00 PM
Full darkness
8:02 PM – 6:05 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:45 PM / 1:37 AM
Day length
11h 00m
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
January7:36 AM8:17 AM4:39 PM5:19 PM5:49 PM9h 44m
February7:10 AM7:47 AM5:18 PM5:55 PM6:23 PM10h 45m
March7:30 AM8:05 AM6:50 PM7:25 PM7:52 PM11h 55m
April6:42 AM7:17 AM7:19 PM7:55 PM8:23 PM13h 13m
May6:06 AM6:44 AM7:46 PM8:24 PM8:54 PM14h 19m
June5:52 AM6:32 AM8:06 PM8:46 PM9:18 PM14h 54m
July6:05 AM6:44 AM8:05 PM8:44 PM9:15 PM14h 39m
August6:32 AM7:08 AM7:38 PM8:14 PM8:43 PM13h 43m
September7:00 AM7:35 AM6:53 PM7:28 PM7:55 PM12h 28m
October7:28 AM8:04 AM6:04 PM6:40 PM7:07 PM11h 13m
November7:02 AM7:41 AM4:25 PM5:05 PM5:33 PM10h 03m
December7:31 AM8:13 AM4:15 PM4:57 PM5:27 PM9h 26m

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

Where the sun rises and sets in Independence

At Independence the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

Best photo spots near Independence

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

Scenic Viewpoints

Scenic Viewpoint
Wells Overlook Park75 km away · Douglas County · 292 m

State Parks

Thomas Hart Benton Home and Studio State Historic SiteState Park
Thomas Hart Benton Home and Studio State Historic Site16 km away · Jackson County
Watkins Woolen Mill State Park and State Historic SiteState Park
Watkins Woolen Mill State Park and State Historic Site37 km away · Clay County
Weston Bend State ParkState Park
Weston Bend State Park52 km away · Platte County
Wallace State ParkState Park
Wallace State Park66 km away · Caldwell County
Lewis and Clark State ParkState Park
Lewis and Clark State Park74 km away · Buchanan County
State Park
Knob Noster State Park80 km away · Johnson County

Lakes

Lake
Bean Lake68 km away · Platte County · 236 m

Botanical Gardens

Ewing and Muriel Kauffman Memorial GardenBotanical Garden
Ewing and Muriel Kauffman Memorial Garden15 km away · Jackson County
Powell GardensBotanical Garden
Powell Gardens41 km away · Johnson County
Botanical Garden
Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens40 km away · Johnson County

Covered Bridges

Springdale Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Springdale Covered Bridge63 km away · Leavenworth County

Natural Arches

Natural Arch
Unity Village Natural Bridge16 km away · Jackson County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Independence is estimated at Bortle 8 (city sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge, about 121 km (75 mi) away (Bortle 2). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from March to September, best in June. Northern lights need roughly Kp 7.5+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.

Darkest skies within 200 km

LocationTypeDistanceEst. Bortle
Swan Lake National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge121 km (75 mi)2
Harry S Truman State ParkState Park124 km (77 mi)2
Pershing State ParkState Park127 km (79 mi)2
Locust Creek Covered BridgeCovered Bridge128 km (79 mi)2
CorbinGhost Town134 km (84 mi)2
Big Lake State ParkState Park136 km (85 mi)2
Kings GroveGhost Town142 km (88 mi)2
Haynie Branch Natural BridgesNatural Arch149 km (93 mi)2
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
February5:25 AM – 5:35 AM0.212°
March4:34 AM – 5:54 AM1.319°
April2:30 AM – 5:00 AM2.522°
May12:32 AM – 4:12 AM3.722°
June10:45 PM – 3:45 AM5.022°
July10:38 PM – 2:28 AM3.822°
August9:54 PM – 12:24 AM2.522°
September8:59 PM – 10:19 PM1.319°
October8:10 PM – 8:20 PM0.212°

Cloud cover by month

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (62%). 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 Independence today?
Today the morning golden hour is 7:16 AM – 8:09 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:57 PM – 6:50 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Independence in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:40 PM and blue hour ends around 7:07 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Independence?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 8:48 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:59 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Independence?
Good options nearby include Unity Village Natural Bridge, Bean Lake, Wells Overlook Park. Check each page's sunset azimuth to see whether the sun sets in view.
Can you see the Milky Way from Independence?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 8). Drive to Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge (121 km (75 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Independence?
Occasionally. Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5 or higher to show on the northern horizon at this geomagnetic latitude (48°). Cameras pick it up before your eyes do.