Billings is a city of about 117,116 people in Yellowstone County, Montana, at 952 m (3,123 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:38 AM and sets at 6:21 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:40 PM – 6:40 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 | 7:52 AM | 8:39 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 04m |
| February | 7:17 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 24m |
| March | 7:28 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:29 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:21 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 5:43 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 56m |
| June | 5:24 AM | 6:10 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:06 PM | 9:45 PM | 15h 42m |
| July | 5:39 AM | 6:24 AM | 8:17 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:38 PM | 15h 22m |
| August | 6:15 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 09m |
| September | 6:53 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:31 AM | 8:12 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:30 PM | 7:00 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 7:15 AM | 8:00 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 30m |
| December | 7:49 AM | 8:39 AM | 3:41 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:05 PM | 8h 42m |
Local time in America/Denver, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Billings
At Billings the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
Best photo spots near Billings
9 photo locations lie within 80 km of Billings. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
State Parks
Canyons
National Wildlife Refuges
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife RefugeGhost Towns
Night sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Billings is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Custer–Gallatin National Forest, about 66 km (41 mi) away (Bortle 1). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from April to August, best in June. Northern lights need roughly Kp 5.0+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.
Darkest skies within 200 km
| Location | Type | Distance | Est. Bortle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Custer–Gallatin National Forest | National Forest | 66 km (41 mi) | 1 |
| Fox | Ghost Town | 79 km (49 mi) | 1 |
| Lake Mason National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | 84 km (52 mi) | 1 |
| Devils Canyon Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | 87 km (54 mi) | 1 |
| Greycliff Prairie Dog Town State Park | State Park | 99 km (62 mi) | 1 |
| Calamity Falls | Waterfall | 105 km (65 mi) | 1 |
| Sentinel Falls | Waterfall | 106 km (66 mi) | 1 |
| Melody Falls | Waterfall | 108 km (67 mi) | 1 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| March | 5:20 AM – 5:40 AM | 0.3 | 12° |
| April | 3:20 AM – 4:30 AM | 1.2 | 14° |
| May | 1:21 AM – 3:21 AM | 2.0 | 15° |
| June | 11:46 PM – 2:36 AM | 2.8 | 15° |
| July | 11:27 PM – 1:27 AM | 2.0 | 15° |
| August | 10:21 PM – 11:21 PM | 1.0 | 14° |
| September | 9:09 PM – 9:19 PM | 0.2 | 11° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (74%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.