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39.7137° N82.5993° W268 mBortle 7New York

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Lancaster, OH

Fairfield County, Ohio · pop. 39,766

  • Sunrise 7:46 AM
  • Sunset 6:45 PM
  • Bortle 7

Lancaster is a city of about 39,766 people in Fairfield County, Ohio, at 268 m (879 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:46 AM and sets at 6:45 PM; the evening golden hour runs 6:08 PM – 7:02 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Lancaster

Live
Sunrise
7:46 AM
Sunset
6:45 PM
Golden hour AM
7:30 AM – 8:23 AM
Golden hour PM
6:08 PM – 7:02 PM
Blue hour AM
7:19 AM – 7:30 AM
Blue hour PM
7:02 PM – 7:13 PM
Full darkness
8:15 PM – 6:17 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:57 PM / 1:46 AM
Day length
10h 59m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. 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
January7:50 AM8:32 AM4:49 PM5:30 PM6:00 PM9h 40m
February7:24 AM8:01 AM5:29 PM6:07 PM6:35 PM10h 43m
March7:43 AM8:19 AM7:02 PM7:38 PM8:04 PM11h 55m
April6:54 AM7:30 AM7:32 PM8:08 PM8:36 PM13h 15m
May6:17 AM6:55 AM8:00 PM8:38 PM9:09 PM14h 22m
June6:03 AM6:43 AM8:20 PM9:01 PM9:33 PM14h 58m
July6:16 AM6:55 AM8:19 PM8:58 PM9:30 PM14h 43m
August6:43 AM7:20 AM7:51 PM8:28 PM8:57 PM13h 45m
September7:12 AM7:48 AM7:05 PM7:41 PM8:08 PM12h 29m
October7:41 AM8:18 AM6:16 PM6:53 PM7:20 PM11h 12m
November7:16 AM7:56 AM4:36 PM5:16 PM5:45 PM10h 00m
December7:45 AM8:28 AM4:25 PM5:08 PM5:38 PM9h 23m

Local time in America/New York, daylight saving time included.

Where the sun rises and sets in Lancaster

At Lancaster the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

Best photo spots near Lancaster

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

Scenic Viewpoints

Scenic Viewpoint
Lookout Point72 km away · Ross County · 264 m

Waterfalls

Waterfall
Cedar Falls33 km away · Hocking County · 257 m
Waterfall
Grove Falls80 km away · Knox County · 260 m

State Parks

Rockbridge State Nature PreserveState Park
Rockbridge State Nature Preserve18 km away · Hocking County
Lake Logan State ParkState Park
Lake Logan State Park23 km away · Hocking County
A. W. Marion State ParkState Park
A. W. Marion State Park26 km away · Pickaway County
Conkle's Hollow State Nature PreserveState Park
Conkle's Hollow State Nature Preserve29 km away · Hocking County
Hocking Hills State ParkState Park
Hocking Hills State Park32 km away · Hocking County
Tar Hollow State ParkState Park
Tar Hollow State Park43 km away · Ross County

Botanical Gardens

Dawes ArboretumBotanical Garden
Dawes Arboretum33 km away · Licking County
Franklin Park ConservatoryBotanical Garden
Franklin Park Conservatory41 km away · Franklin County
Chadwick ArboretumBotanical Garden
Chadwick Arboretum49 km away · Franklin County
Inniswood Botanical Garden and Nature PreserveBotanical Garden
Inniswood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve50 km away · Franklin County

Covered Bridges

John Bright Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
John Bright Covered Bridge2.9 km away · Fairfield County
Rock Mill Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Rock Mill Covered Bridge11 km away · Fairfield County
Mink Hollow Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Mink Hollow Covered Bridge9.4 km away · Fairfield County
Johnston Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Johnston Covered Bridge12 km away · Fairfield County
Hannaway Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Hannaway Covered Bridge13 km away · Fairfield County
Ety Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Ety Covered Bridge14 km away · Fairfield County

Natural Arches

Natural Arch
Rockbridge17 km away · Hocking County
Natural Arch
Hagley Hollow Arch28 km away · Hocking County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Lancaster is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is North Bend State Park, about 139 km (86 mi) away (Bortle 2). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from March to September, best in June. Northern lights need roughly Kp 7.0+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.

Darkest skies within 200 km

LocationTypeDistanceEst. Bortle
North Bend State ParkState Park139 km (86 mi)2
North Bend Rail TrailState Park148 km (92 mi)2
West Union Covered BridgeCovered Bridge164 km (102 mi)2
Cedar Creek State ParkState Park176 km (109 mi)2
Hagley Hollow ArchNatural Arch28 km (17 mi)3
Conkle's Hollow State Nature PreserveState Park29 km (18 mi)3
Hocking Hills State ParkState Park32 km (20 mi)3
Cedar FallsWaterfall33 km (21 mi)3
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
February5:37 AM – 5:47 AM0.211°
March4:47 AM – 6:07 AM1.318°
April2:44 AM – 5:14 AM2.521°
May12:48 AM – 4:18 AM3.521°
June11:02 PM – 3:52 AM4.821°
July10:54 PM – 2:34 AM3.721°
August10:09 PM – 12:29 AM2.321°
September9:12 PM – 10:32 PM1.318°
October8:22 PM – 8:32 PM0.212°

Cloud cover by month

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (78%). 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 Lancaster today?
Today the morning golden hour is 7:30 AM – 8:23 AM and the evening golden hour is 6:08 PM – 7:02 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Lancaster in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:53 PM and blue hour ends around 7:20 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Lancaster?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 9:02 PM — and earliest in December, around 5:10 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Lancaster?
Good options nearby include Rockbridge, Hagley Hollow Arch, Ash Cave Fire Tower. Check each page's sunset azimuth to see whether the sun sets in view.
Can you see the Milky Way from Lancaster?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 7). Drive to North Bend State Park (139 km (86 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Lancaster?
Occasionally. Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0 or higher to show on the northern horizon at this geomagnetic latitude (49°). Cameras pick it up before your eyes do.