1. Home
  2. Cities
  3. New Jersey
  4. Rutherford
40.8265° N74.1068° W28 mBortle 9New York

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Rutherford, NJ

Bergen County, New Jersey · pop. 18,690

  • Sunrise 7:14 AM
  • Sunset 6:10 PM
  • Bortle 9

Rutherford is a city of about 18,690 people in Bergen County, New Jersey. Today the sun rises at 7:14 AM and sets at 6:10 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:32 PM – 6:27 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Rutherford

Live
Sunrise
7:14 AM
Sunset
6:10 PM
Golden hour AM
6:57 AM – 7:51 AM
Golden hour PM
5:32 PM – 6:27 PM
Blue hour AM
6:46 AM – 6:57 AM
Blue hour PM
6:27 PM – 6:38 PM
Full darkness
7:42 PM – 5:43 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:26 PM / 1:08 AM
Day length
10h 56m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. 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
January7:19 AM8:02 AM4:11 PM4:53 PM5:24 PM9h 34m
February6:52 AM7:30 AM4:53 PM5:31 PM5:59 PM10h 40m
March7:09 AM7:45 AM6:27 PM7:03 PM7:31 PM11h 54m
April6:18 AM6:55 AM6:59 PM7:36 PM8:04 PM13h 18m
May5:40 AM6:19 AM7:28 PM8:07 PM8:38 PM14h 27m
June5:25 AM6:06 AM7:49 PM8:30 PM9:04 PM15h 05m
July5:38 AM6:19 AM7:47 PM8:28 PM9:00 PM14h 49m
August6:07 AM6:45 AM7:19 PM7:56 PM8:26 PM13h 49m
September6:38 AM7:14 AM6:31 PM7:07 PM7:35 PM12h 30m
October7:08 AM7:45 AM5:40 PM6:18 PM6:45 PM11h 09m
November6:44 AM7:25 AM3:59 PM4:40 PM5:09 PM9h 55m
December7:15 AM7:58 AM3:47 PM4:30 PM5:01 PM9h 16m

Local time in America/New York, daylight saving time included.

Where the sun rises and sets in Rutherford

At Rutherford the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

Best photo spots near Rutherford

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

Scenic Viewpoints

Scenic Viewpoint
Overlook Park12 km away · Passaic County · 21 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Top of the Rock13 km away · New York County · 19 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Overlook Park21 km away · Queens County · 22 m
Scenic Viewpoint
The Overlook26 km away · Queens County · 46 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Mount Mitchell Scenic Overlook County Park47 km away · Monmouth County · 67 m

Waterfalls

Great FallsWaterfall
Great Falls12 km away · Passaic County
Waterfall
Passaic Falls12 km away · Passaic County · 19 m
Waterfall
Hemlock Falls17 km away · Richmond County · 113 m
Waterfall
Maple Falls19 km away · Essex County · 98 m
Boonton FallsWaterfall
Boonton Falls28 km away · Morris County
Buttermilk FallsWaterfall
Buttermilk Falls43 km away · Morris County

State Parks

Riverbank State ParkState Park
Riverbank State Park13 km away · New York County
Liberty State ParkState Park
Liberty State Park14 km away · Hudson County
Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms ParkState Park
Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park15 km away · New York County
Gantry Plaza State ParkState Park
Gantry Plaza State Park15 km away
Roberto Clemente State ParkState Park
Roberto Clemente State Park16 km away · Bronx County
Marsha P. Johnson State ParkState Park
Marsha P. Johnson State Park17 km away · Kings County

Lakes

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis ReservoirLake
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir13 km away · New York County
Harlem MeerLake
Harlem Meer13 km away · New York County · 6 m
Collect PondLake
Collect Pond15 km away · New York County · 5 m
Rainbow LakeLake
Rainbow Lake30 km away · Morris County · 160 m
Greenwood LakeLake
Greenwood Lake43 km away · Passaic County
Lake HopatcongLake
Lake Hopatcong46 km away · Sussex County

Lighthouses

Jeffrey's Hook LightLighthouse
Jeffrey's Hook Light14 km away · New York County
Titanic MemorialLighthouse
Titanic Memorial16 km away · New York County
Blackwell Island LightLighthouse
Blackwell Island Light15 km away · New York County
Robbins Reef LightLighthouse
Robbins Reef Light19 km away · Hudson County
North Brother Island LightLighthouse
North Brother Island Light18 km away · Bronx County
Fort Wadsworth LightLighthouse
Fort Wadsworth Light25 km away · Richmond County

Beaches

Coney IslandBeach
Coney Island30 km away · Kings County
Beach
Water Taxi Beach15 km away · New York County
Orchard BeachBeach
Orchard Beach27 km away · Bronx County
Beach
Buono Beach24 km away · Richmond County
Rockaway BeachBeach
Rockaway Beach36 km away · Queens County
Jacob Riis ParkBeach
Jacob Riis Park35 km away · Queens County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Rutherford is estimated at Bortle 9 (inner-city sky). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from March to September, best in June. Northern lights need roughly Kp 6.0+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.

MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
February5:13 AM – 5:13 AM0.011°
March4:24 AM – 5:34 AM1.217°
April2:24 AM – 4:34 AM2.220°
May12:19 AM – 3:39 AM3.320°
June10:36 PM – 3:16 AM4.720°
July10:27 PM – 1:47 AM3.320°
August9:39 PM – 11:49 PM2.220°
September8:40 PM – 9:50 PM1.217°
October7:48 PM – 7:48 PM0.011°

Cloud cover by month

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 51% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (64%). 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 Rutherford today?
Today the morning golden hour is 6:57 AM – 7:51 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:32 PM – 6:27 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Rutherford in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:18 PM and blue hour ends around 6:45 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Rutherford?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 8:32 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:32 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Rutherford?
Good options nearby include Overlook Park, Top of the Rock, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. Check each page's sunset azimuth to see whether the sun sets in view.
Can you see the Milky Way from Rutherford?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 9).
Can you see the northern lights in Rutherford?
Occasionally. Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0 or higher to show on the northern horizon at this geomagnetic latitude (50°). Cameras pick it up before your eyes do.