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48.1470° N103.6180° W572 mBortle 6Chicago

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Williston, ND

Williams County, North Dakota · pop. 26,977

  • Sunrise 8:22 AM
  • Sunset 6:58 PM
  • Bortle 6

Williston is a city of about 26,977 people in Williams County, North Dakota, at 572 m (1,877 ft). Today the sun rises at 8:22 AM and sets at 6:58 PM; the evening golden hour runs 6:15 PM – 7:17 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Williston

Live
Sunrise
8:22 AM
Sunset
6:58 PM
Golden hour AM
8:02 AM – 9:05 AM
Golden hour PM
6:15 PM – 7:17 PM
Blue hour AM
7:50 AM – 8:02 AM
Blue hour PM
7:17 PM – 7:30 PM
Full darkness
8:42 PM – 6:40 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
4:41 PM / 1:53 AM
Day length
10h 36m
Sunrise azimuth
105°
Sunset azimuth
255°
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
January8:41 AM9:32 AM4:37 PM5:28 PM6:04 PM8h 48m
February8:02 AM8:47 AM5:33 PM6:17 PM6:49 PM10h 15m
March8:09 AM8:50 AM7:19 PM8:00 PM8:31 PM11h 51m
April7:05 AM7:47 AM8:03 PM8:45 PM9:18 PM13h 39m
May6:16 AM7:02 AM8:42 PM9:27 PM10:05 PM15h 11m
June5:55 AM6:43 AM9:08 PM9:57 PM10:39 PM16h 03m
July6:11 AM6:58 AM9:04 PM9:51 PM10:31 PM15h 41m
August6:50 AM7:33 AM8:27 PM9:10 PM9:44 PM14h 20m
September7:32 AM8:13 AM7:28 PM8:09 PM8:40 PM12h 37m
October8:14 AM8:57 AM6:25 PM7:07 PM7:39 PM10h 53m
November8:02 AM8:50 AM4:30 PM5:18 PM5:52 PM9h 16m
December8:39 AM9:33 AM4:08 PM5:02 PM5:38 PM8h 23m

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

Where the sun rises and sets in Williston

At Williston the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 52° (NE) at the June solstice and 126° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 65° in summer but only 18° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

Best photo spots near Williston

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

Scenic Viewpoints

Scenic Viewpoint
Bentonitic Clay Overlook61 km away · McKenzie County
Scenic Viewpoint
Overlook Spring62 km away · McKenzie County · 637 m

State Parks

State Park
Lewis and Clark State Park28 km away · McKenzie County

National Wildlife Refuges

National Wildlife Refuge
Lake Zahl National Wildlife Refuge47 km away · Williams County
National Wildlife Refuge
Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge66 km away · Sheridan County

Ghost Towns

WheelockGhost Town
Wheelock32 km away · Williams County
MondakGhost Town
Mondak35 km away · Roosevelt County
TempleGhost Town
Temple50 km away · Williams County
SchaferGhost Town
Schafer50 km away · McKenzie County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Williston is estimated at Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Mondak, about 35 km (22 mi) away (Bortle 1). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from April to July, best in May. Northern lights need roughly Kp 3.5+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.

Darkest skies within 200 km

LocationTypeDistanceEst. Bortle
MondakGhost Town35 km (22 mi)1
Lake Zahl National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge47 km (29 mi)1
TempleGhost Town50 km (31 mi)1
Bentonitic Clay OverlookScenic Viewpoint61 km (38 mi)1
Overlook SpringScenic Viewpoint62 km (38 mi)1
Medicine Lake National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge66 km (41 mi)1
ComertownGhost Town95 km (59 mi)1
Lostwood National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge98 km (61 mi)1
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
April4:31 AM – 5:01 AM0.512°
May2:35 AM – 3:35 AM1.013°
June1:20 AM – 2:20 AM1.013°
July12:41 AM – 1:31 AM0.812°
August11:17 PM – 11:37 PM0.311°

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 Williston today?
Today the morning golden hour is 8:02 AM – 9:05 AM and the evening golden hour is 6:15 PM – 7:17 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Williston in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 7:07 PM and blue hour ends around 7:39 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Williston?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 9:59 PM — and earliest in December, around 5:04 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Williston?
Good options nearby include Bentonitic Clay Overlook, Overlook Spring. Check each page's sunset azimuth to see whether the sun sets in view.
Can you see the Milky Way from Williston?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 6). Drive to Mondak (35 km (22 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Williston?
Occasionally. Aurora needs roughly Kp 3.5 or higher to show on the northern horizon at this geomagnetic latitude (56°). Cameras pick it up before your eyes do.