Joplin is a city of about 51,818 people in Jasper County, Missouri, at 306 m (1,004 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:31 AM and sets at 6:36 PM; the evening golden hour runs 6:00 PM – 6:52 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 | 7:31 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:53 PM | 9h 54m |
| February | 7:08 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:22 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:25 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 7:30 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:44 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:20 PM | 13h 09m |
| May | 6:11 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 09m |
| June | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 42m |
| July | 6:11 AM | 6:48 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 28m |
| August | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 36m |
| September | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:26 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:09 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:58 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:37 PM | 10h 12m |
| December | 7:25 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 38m |
Local time in America/Chicago, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Joplin
At Joplin 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 29° in winter.
Best photo spots near Joplin
21 photo locations lie within 80 km of Joplin. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
Waterfalls
State Parks
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State ParkNatural Arches
Ghost Towns
Ghost Town
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Ghost TownGhost TownGhost TownGhost TownNight sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Joplin is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Haynie Branch Natural Bridges, about 109 km (68 mi) away (Bortle 2). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haynie Branch Natural Bridges | Natural Arch | 109 km (68 mi) | 2 |
| Corbin | Ghost Town | 136 km (84 mi) | 2 |
| Pomme de Terre Lake | Lake | 136 km (85 mi) | 2 |
| Pomme de Terre State Park | State Park | 137 km (85 mi) | 2 |
| Ingalls | Ghost Town | 140 km (87 mi) | 2 |
| Cross Timbers State Park | State Park | 147 km (91 mi) | 2 |
| Hercules Glades Wilderness | Wilderness Area | 148 km (92 mi) | 2 |
| Eden Falls | Waterfall | 156 km (97 mi) | 2 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 5:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.3 | 14° |
| March | 4:22 AM – 5:52 AM | 1.5 | 20° |
| April | 2:15 AM – 5:05 AM | 2.8 | 24° |
| May | 12:23 AM – 4:23 AM | 4.0 | 24° |
| June | 10:32 PM – 4:02 AM | 5.5 | 24° |
| July | 10:26 PM – 2:36 AM | 4.2 | 24° |
| August | 9:47 PM – 12:37 AM | 2.8 | 24° |
| September | 8:55 PM – 10:35 PM | 1.7 | 21° |
| October | 8:09 PM – 8:39 PM | 0.5 | 14° |
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.