Las Cruces is a city of about 101,643 people in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, at 1,191 m (3,907 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:15 AM and sets at 6:30 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:57 PM – 6:45 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 | 7:09 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:52 PM | 10h 16m |
| February | 6:51 AM | 7:24 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:19 PM | 11h 03m |
| March | 7:18 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:39 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:02 PM | 12h 58m |
| May | 6:10 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:24 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 49m |
| June | 6:01 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:45 PM | 14h 15m |
| July | 6:12 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 04m |
| August | 6:32 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 21m |
| September | 6:52 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:39 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 7:11 AM | 7:44 AM | 6:03 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:13 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:34 PM | 10h 31m |
| December | 7:02 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:32 PM | 10h 03m |
Local time in America/Denver, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Las Cruces
At Las Cruces the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
Best photo spots near Las Cruces
15 photo locations lie within 80 km of Las Cruces. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
State Parks
State Park
State Park
State ParkBotanical Gardens
Natural Arches
Canyons
Mountain Peaks
National Wildlife Refuges
Night sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Las Cruces is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Mimbres Hot Springs, about 110 km (69 mi) away (Bortle 1). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from February to October, best in June.
Darkest skies within 200 km
| Location | Type | Distance | Est. Bortle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mimbres Hot Springs | Hot Spring | 110 km (69 mi) | 1 |
| Aldo Leopold Wilderness | Wilderness Area | 134 km (83 mi) | 1 |
| Reeds Peak Lookout Tower | Fire Lookout | 137 km (85 mi) | 1 |
| Paraje | Ghost Town | 141 km (87 mi) | 1 |
| Garcia Falls | Waterfall | 146 km (90 mi) | 1 |
| Senator Clinton P Anderson Wilderness Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | 160 km (100 mi) | 1 |
| Apache Kid Wilderness | Wilderness Area | 161 km (100 mi) | 1 |
| Old Hachita | Ghost Town | 162 km (101 mi) | 1 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 4:36 AM – 5:26 AM | 0.8 | 18° |
| March | 3:47 AM – 5:47 AM | 2.0 | 25° |
| April | 1:42 AM – 5:02 AM | 3.3 | 29° |
| May | 11:42 PM – 4:32 AM | 4.8 | 29° |
| June | 9:57 PM – 4:17 AM | 6.3 | 29° |
| July | 9:53 PM – 2:53 AM | 5.0 | 29° |
| August | 9:22 PM – 12:52 AM | 3.5 | 29° |
| September | 8:37 PM – 10:47 PM | 2.2 | 26° |
| October | 7:57 PM – 8:47 PM | 0.8 | 18° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 30% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (51%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.