Santa Fe is a city of about 87,505 people in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, at 2,132 m (6,995 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:15 AM and sets at 6:23 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:48 PM – 6:39 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 | 7:14 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 00m |
| February | 6:52 AM | 7:27 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 54m |
| March | 7:15 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:37 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:32 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:03 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 6:00 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 03m |
| June | 5:48 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 34m |
| July | 6:00 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 21m |
| August | 6:24 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 31m |
| September | 6:47 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:11 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:41 AM | 7:18 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 18m |
| December | 7:07 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 45m |
Local time in America/Denver, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Santa Fe
At Santa Fe 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 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
Best photo spots near Santa Fe
41 photo locations lie within 80 km of Santa Fe. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
Scenic Viewpoints
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WaterfallState Parks
Natural Arches
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Mountain Peaks
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Mountain PeakNight sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Santa Fe is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Ocate Peak, about 97 km (60 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ocate Peak | Mountain Peak | 97 km (60 mi) | 1 |
| Maxson Crater | Volcano | 97 km (61 mi) | 1 |
| Mount Phillips | Mountain Peak | 112 km (70 mi) | 1 |
| Eagle Nest Lake State Park | State Park | 113 km (70 mi) | 1 |
| Cimarron Canyon State Park | State Park | 117 km (73 mi) | 1 |
| Wagon Mound National Historic Landmark | Rock Formation | 117 km (73 mi) | 1 |
| Baldy Mountain | Mountain Peak | 123 km (77 mi) | 1 |
| Bobcat Pass | Mountain Pass | 125 km (78 mi) | 1 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 4:52 AM – 5:22 AM | 0.5 | 15° |
| March | 3:57 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.8 | 22° |
| April | 1:58 AM – 4:58 AM | 3.0 | 25° |
| May | 12:03 AM – 4:13 AM | 4.2 | 25° |
| June | 10:11 PM – 3:51 AM | 5.7 | 25° |
| July | 10:06 PM – 2:26 AM | 4.3 | 25° |
| August | 9:29 PM – 12:29 AM | 3.0 | 25° |
| September | 8:39 PM – 10:29 PM | 1.8 | 22° |
| October | 7:55 PM – 8:25 PM | 0.5 | 15° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 33% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (54%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.