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46.8083° N100.7837° W514 mBortle 7Chicago

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Bismarck, ND

Burleigh County, North Dakota · pop. 75,092

  • Sunrise 8:09 AM
  • Sunset 6:49 PM
  • Bortle 7

Bismarck is a city of about 75,092 people in Burleigh County, North Dakota, at 514 m (1,686 ft). Today the sun rises at 8:09 AM and sets at 6:49 PM; the evening golden hour runs 6:07 PM – 7:08 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Bismarck

Live
Sunrise
8:09 AM
Sunset
6:49 PM
Golden hour AM
7:50 AM – 8:51 AM
Golden hour PM
6:07 PM – 7:08 PM
Blue hour AM
7:38 AM – 7:50 AM
Blue hour PM
7:08 PM – 7:19 PM
Full darkness
8:30 PM – 6:29 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
4:26 PM / 1:45 AM
Day length
10h 40m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Chicago. 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
January8:25 AM9:13 AM4:33 PM5:22 PM5:56 PM8h 57m
February7:48 AM8:31 AM5:25 PM6:08 PM6:39 PM10h 20m
March7:57 AM8:37 AM7:09 PM7:49 PM8:19 PM11h 52m
April6:56 AM7:37 AM7:50 PM8:31 PM9:03 PM13h 35m
May6:09 AM6:53 AM8:27 PM9:11 PM9:47 PM15h 02m
June5:49 AM6:36 AM8:53 PM9:40 PM10:19 PM15h 51m
July6:05 AM6:50 AM8:49 PM9:35 PM10:13 PM15h 30m
August6:42 AM7:24 AM8:13 PM8:55 PM9:29 PM14h 14m
September7:22 AM8:02 AM7:17 PM7:57 PM8:27 PM12h 35m
October8:01 AM8:43 AM6:16 PM6:58 PM7:28 PM10h 56m
November7:47 AM8:33 AM4:24 PM5:11 PM5:44 PM9h 24m
December8:22 AM9:14 AM4:05 PM4:56 PM5:31 PM8h 34m

Local time in America/Chicago, daylight saving time included.

Where the sun rises and sets in Bismarck

At Bismarck the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 125° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 307° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

Best photo spots near Bismarck

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

State Parks

Fort Abraham LincolnState Park
Fort Abraham Lincoln7.0 km away · Burleigh County
Cross Ranch State ParkState Park
Cross Ranch State Park48 km away · Oliver County

National Wildlife Refuges

Lost Lake National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Lost Lake National Wildlife Refuge51 km away · McLean County
National Wildlife Refuge
Lake Patricia National Wildlife Refuge48 km away · Morton County
National Wildlife Refuge
Canfield Lake National Wildlife Refuge49 km away · Burleigh County
National Wildlife Refuge
Sunburst Lake National Wildlife Refuge53 km away · Sioux County
National Wildlife Refuge
Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge57 km away · Burleigh County
National Wildlife Refuge
Appert Lake National Wildlife Refuge58 km away · Emmons County

Ghost Towns

SangerGhost Town
Sanger44 km away · Oliver County
TemvikGhost Town
Temvik63 km away · Emmons County
BrisbaneGhost Town
Brisbane75 km away · Grant County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Bismarck is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Sunburst Lake National Wildlife Refuge, about 53 km (33 mi) away (Bortle 1). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from April to August, best in June. Northern lights need roughly Kp 4.0+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.

Darkest skies within 200 km

LocationTypeDistanceEst. Bortle
Sunburst Lake National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge53 km (33 mi)1
Long Lake National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge57 km (36 mi)1
Appert Lake National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge58 km (36 mi)1
TemvikGhost Town63 km (39 mi)1
Florence Lake National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge65 km (40 mi)1
Hutchinson Lake National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge66 km (41 mi)1
BrisbaneGhost Town75 km (47 mi)1
Springwater National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge77 km (48 mi)1
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
March6:00 AM – 6:10 AM0.211°
April4:03 AM – 4:53 AM0.813°
May2:09 AM – 3:49 AM1.714°
June12:31 AM – 2:51 AM2.314°
July12:08 AM – 1:48 AM1.714°
August10:56 PM – 11:46 PM0.813°
September9:41 PM – 9:41 PM0.010°

Cloud cover by month

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (69%). 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 Bismarck today?
Today the morning golden hour is 7:50 AM – 8:51 AM and the evening golden hour is 6:07 PM – 7:08 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Bismarck in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:58 PM and blue hour ends around 7:28 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Bismarck?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 9:42 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:58 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Bismarck?
Look for west-facing high ground or open water; the sunset azimuth table shows where the sun goes down each season.
Can you see the Milky Way from Bismarck?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 7). Drive to Sunburst Lake National Wildlife Refuge (53 km (33 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Bismarck?
Occasionally. Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.0 or higher to show on the northern horizon at this geomagnetic latitude (55°). Cameras pick it up before your eyes do.