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44.3114° N96.7984° W494 mBortle 6Chicago

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Brookings, SD

Brookings County, South Dakota · pop. 23,657

  • Sunrise 7:49 AM
  • Sunset 6:36 PM
  • Bortle 6

Brookings is a city of about 23,657 people in Brookings County, South Dakota, at 494 m (1,621 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:49 AM and sets at 6:36 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:56 PM – 6:54 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Brookings

Live
Sunrise
7:49 AM
Sunset
6:36 PM
Golden hour AM
7:31 AM – 8:29 AM
Golden hour PM
5:56 PM – 6:54 PM
Blue hour AM
7:20 AM – 7:31 AM
Blue hour PM
6:54 PM – 7:06 PM
Full darkness
8:13 PM – 6:13 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
4:04 PM / 1:34 AM
Day length
10h 47m
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
January8:00 AM8:46 AM4:28 PM5:14 PM5:46 PM9h 14m
February7:28 AM8:09 AM5:16 PM5:57 PM6:26 PM10h 29m
March7:40 AM8:19 AM6:55 PM7:33 PM8:02 PM11h 53m
April6:44 AM7:23 AM7:33 PM8:11 PM8:42 PM13h 27m
May6:01 AM6:43 AM8:06 PM8:48 PM9:21 PM14h 47m
June5:43 AM6:28 AM8:29 PM9:14 PM9:50 PM15h 30m
July5:58 AM6:41 AM8:26 PM9:10 PM9:45 PM15h 12m
August6:31 AM7:11 AM7:54 PM8:34 PM9:05 PM14h 03m
September7:07 AM7:45 AM7:01 PM7:40 PM8:09 PM12h 33m
October7:43 AM8:22 AM6:05 PM6:45 PM7:14 PM11h 02m
November7:24 AM8:08 AM4:18 PM5:02 PM5:33 PM9h 38m
December7:57 AM8:45 AM4:02 PM4:49 PM5:23 PM8h 53m

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

Where the sun rises and sets in Brookings

At Brookings the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

Best photo spots near Brookings

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

Waterfalls

Winnewissa FallsWaterfall
Winnewissa Falls50 km away · Pipestone County · 516 m

State Parks

Hartford Beach State ParkState Park
Hartford Beach State Park14 km away · Brookings County
Oakwood Lakes State ParkState Park
Oakwood Lakes State Park21 km away · Brookings County
Lake Herman State ParkState Park
Lake Herman State Park46 km away · Lake County
Split Rock Creek State ParkState Park
Split Rock Creek State Park58 km away · Pipestone County
Camden State ParkState Park
Camden State Park70 km away · Lyon County
Palisades State ParkState Park
Palisades State Park73 km away · Minnehaha County

Botanical Gardens

McCrory Gardens and South Dakota ArboretumBotanical Garden
McCrory Gardens and South Dakota Arboretum2.3 km away · Brookings County

National Wildlife Refuges

National Wildlife Refuge
Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge77 km away · Rock County

Ghost Towns

ManchesterGhost Town
Manchester74 km away · Kingsbury County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Brookings is estimated at Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Manchester, about 74 km (46 mi) away (Bortle 1). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from March to September, best in June. Northern lights need roughly Kp 5.0+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.

Darkest skies within 200 km

LocationTypeDistanceEst. Bortle
ManchesterGhost Town74 km (46 mi)1
Big Stone LakeLake123 km (76 mi)1
Big Stone Lake OverlookScenic Viewpoint125 km (77 mi)1
Waubay National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge131 km (81 mi)1
Lake Andes National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge182 km (113 mi)1
Lake Elsie National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge193 km (120 mi)1
Tewaukon National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge194 km (120 mi)1
Sand Lake National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge199 km (123 mi)1
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
March5:20 AM – 6:00 AM0.713°
April3:17 AM – 4:47 AM1.516°
May1:23 AM – 3:53 AM2.517°
June11:40 PM – 3:10 AM3.517°
July11:25 PM – 1:55 AM2.517°
August10:26 PM – 11:56 PM1.516°
September9:19 PM – 9:49 PM0.513°

Cloud cover by month

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (68%). 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 Brookings today?
Today the morning golden hour is 7:31 AM – 8:29 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:56 PM – 6:54 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Brookings in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:45 PM and blue hour ends around 7:14 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Brookings?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 9:16 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:51 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Brookings?
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 Brookings?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 6). Drive to Manchester (74 km (46 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Brookings?
Occasionally. Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0 or higher to show on the northern horizon at this geomagnetic latitude (53°). Cameras pick it up before your eyes do.