In October 2026, sunrise in Durham moves from 7:11 AM on October 1 to 7:38 AM on October 31, and sunset from 7:01 PM to 6:22 PM. Daylight changes from 11h 50m to 10h 44m. The fullest moon falls on October 26 (100% lit) and the darkest nights for stars are around October 10.
Sunrise range
7:11 AM → 7:38 AM
Sunset range
7:01 PM → 6:22 PM
Full moon
Oct 26
moonrise 6:25 PM
New moon
Oct 10
best for stars
Day-by-day sun & moon times — October 2026
| Date | Sunrise | Morning golden hour | Evening golden hour | Sunset | Blue hour | Daylight | Moon | Moonrise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 1 | 7:11 AM | 6:56 AM–7:45 AM | 6:27 PM–7:16 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:16 PM–7:26 PM | 11h 50m | 71% | 10:09 PM |
| Fri 2 | 7:12 AM | 6:56 AM–7:46 AM | 6:25 PM–7:15 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:15 PM–7:25 PM | 11h 47m | 60% | 11:14 PM |
| Sat 3 | 7:13 AM | 6:57 AM–7:47 AM | 6:24 PM–7:14 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:14 PM–7:23 PM | 11h 45m | 49% | — |
| Sun 4 | 7:14 AM | 6:58 AM–7:48 AM | 6:22 PM–7:12 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:12 PM–7:22 PM | 11h 43m | 37% | 12:27 AM |
| Mon 5 | 7:14 AM | 6:59 AM–7:49 AM | 6:21 PM–7:11 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:11 PM–7:21 PM | 11h 41m | 26% | 1:42 AM |
| Tue 6 | 7:15 AM | 7:00 AM–7:49 AM | 6:19 PM–7:09 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:09 PM–7:19 PM | 11h 38m | 17% | 2:55 AM |
| Wed 7 | 7:16 AM | 7:00 AM–7:50 AM | 6:18 PM–7:08 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:08 PM–7:18 PM | 11h 36m | 9% | 4:05 AM |
| Thu 8 | 7:17 AM | 7:01 AM–7:51 AM | 6:16 PM–7:06 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:06 PM–7:16 PM | 11h 34m | 4% | 5:13 AM |
| Fri 9 | 7:18 AM | 7:02 AM–7:52 AM | 6:15 PM–7:05 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:05 PM–7:15 PM | 11h 32m | 1% | 6:18 AM |
| Sat 10 | 7:19 AM | 7:03 AM–7:53 AM | 6:14 PM–7:04 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:04 PM–7:14 PM | 11h 29m | 0% | 7:22 AM |
| Sun 11 | 7:19 AM | 7:04 AM–7:54 AM | 6:12 PM–7:02 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:02 PM–7:12 PM | 11h 27m | 2% | 8:26 AM |
| Mon 12 | 7:20 AM | 7:04 AM–7:55 AM | 6:11 PM–7:01 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:01 PM–7:11 PM | 11h 25m | 5% | 9:28 AM |
| Tue 13 | 7:21 AM | 7:05 AM–7:56 AM | 6:09 PM–7:00 PM | 6:44 PM | 7:00 PM–7:10 PM | 11h 23m | 10% | 10:30 AM |
| Wed 14 | 7:22 AM | 7:06 AM–7:57 AM | 6:08 PM–6:58 PM | 6:42 PM | 6:58 PM–7:08 PM | 11h 21m | 17% | 11:30 AM |
| Thu 15 | 7:23 AM | 7:07 AM–7:57 AM | 6:07 PM–6:57 PM | 6:41 PM | 6:57 PM–7:07 PM | 11h 18m | 24% | 12:25 PM |
| Fri 16 | 7:24 AM | 7:08 AM–7:58 AM | 6:05 PM–6:56 PM | 6:40 PM | 6:56 PM–7:06 PM | 11h 16m | 33% | 1:15 PM |
| Sat 17 | 7:25 AM | 7:09 AM–7:59 AM | 6:04 PM–6:54 PM | 6:39 PM | 6:54 PM–7:04 PM | 11h 14m | 42% | 1:58 PM |
| Sun 18 | 7:26 AM | 7:10 AM–8:00 AM | 6:02 PM–6:53 PM | 6:37 PM | 6:53 PM–7:03 PM | 11h 12m | 51% | 2:36 PM |
| Mon 19 | 7:26 AM | 7:10 AM–8:01 AM | 6:01 PM–6:52 PM | 6:36 PM | 6:52 PM–7:02 PM | 11h 10m | 60% | 3:08 PM |
| Tue 20 | 7:27 AM | 7:11 AM–8:02 AM | 6:00 PM–6:51 PM | 6:35 PM | 6:51 PM–7:01 PM | 11h 07m | 70% | 3:37 PM |
| Wed 21 | 7:28 AM | 7:12 AM–8:03 AM | 5:58 PM–6:49 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:49 PM–7:00 PM | 11h 05m | 78% | 4:02 PM |
| Thu 22 | 7:29 AM | 7:13 AM–8:04 AM | 5:57 PM–6:48 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:48 PM–6:58 PM | 11h 03m | 86% | 4:28 PM |
| Fri 23 | 7:30 AM | 7:14 AM–8:05 AM | 5:56 PM–6:47 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:47 PM–6:57 PM | 11h 01m | 92% | 4:53 PM |
| Sat 24 | 7:31 AM | 7:15 AM–8:06 AM | 5:55 PM–6:46 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:46 PM–6:56 PM | 10h 59m | 97% | 5:20 PM |
| Sun 25 | 7:32 AM | 7:16 AM–8:07 AM | 5:53 PM–6:45 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:45 PM–6:55 PM | 10h 57m | 99% | 5:50 PM |
| Mon 26 | 7:33 AM | 7:17 AM–8:08 AM | 5:52 PM–6:44 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:44 PM–6:54 PM | 10h 55m | 100% | 6:25 PM |
| Tue 27 | 7:34 AM | 7:18 AM–8:09 AM | 5:51 PM–6:43 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:43 PM–6:53 PM | 10h 53m | 97% | 7:06 PM |
| Wed 28 | 7:35 AM | 7:19 AM–8:10 AM | 5:50 PM–6:42 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:42 PM–6:52 PM | 10h 50m | 92% | 7:57 PM |
| Thu 29 | 7:36 AM | 7:20 AM–8:11 AM | 5:49 PM–6:40 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:40 PM–6:51 PM | 10h 48m | 84% | 8:58 PM |
| Fri 30 | 7:37 AM | 7:21 AM–8:13 AM | 5:47 PM–6:39 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:39 PM–6:50 PM | 10h 46m | 75% | 10:08 PM |
| Sat 31 | 7:38 AM | 7:21 AM–8:14 AM | 5:46 PM–6:38 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:38 PM–6:49 PM | 10h 44m | 64% | 11:23 PM |
Highlighted rows are full and new moon days. Times are local (America/New York) and computed for Durham city center.
Photo planning tips for October
- Peak fall color moves south through most states.
- The Milky Way core sets early in the evening — shoot it right after dark.
- The Orionid meteor shower peaks around October 21.
Other months
JanuaryDurhamFebruaryDurhamMarchDurhamAprilDurhamMayDurhamJuneDurhamJulyDurhamAugustDurhamSeptemberDurhamOctoberDurhamNovemberDurhamDecemberDurham
FAQ
What time is sunset in Durham in October?
Between 7:01 PM (on October 1) and 6:22 PM (on October 31), local time.
When is golden hour in Durham in October?
On October 15 the evening golden hour is 6:07 PM–6:57 PM and the morning golden hour is 7:07 AM–7:57 AM.
When is the full moon in October 2026?
The moon is fullest on October 26; it rises around 6:25 PM in Durham. Full moonrise at dusk is a classic landscape shot.