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44.8994° N97.1151° W528 mBortle 6Chicago

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Watertown, SD

Codington County, South Dakota · pop. 22,073

  • Sunrise 7:51 AM
  • Sunset 6:37 PM
  • Bortle 6

Watertown is a city of about 22,073 people in Codington County, South Dakota, at 528 m (1,732 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:51 AM and sets at 6:37 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:56 PM – 6:55 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Watertown

Live
Sunrise
7:51 AM
Sunset
6:37 PM
Golden hour AM
7:33 AM – 8:32 AM
Golden hour PM
5:56 PM – 6:55 PM
Blue hour AM
7:21 AM – 7:33 AM
Blue hour PM
6:55 PM – 7:06 PM
Full darkness
8:14 PM – 6:15 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
4:07 PM / 1:34 AM
Day length
10h 46m
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
January8:04 AM8:50 AM4:27 PM5:13 PM5:46 PM9h 10m
February7:30 AM8:12 AM5:16 PM5:57 PM6:27 PM10h 27m
March7:42 AM8:21 AM6:56 PM7:35 PM8:04 PM11h 53m
April6:45 AM7:24 AM7:34 PM8:14 PM8:44 PM13h 29m
May6:01 AM6:43 AM8:08 PM8:51 PM9:25 PM14h 50m
June5:42 AM6:27 AM8:32 PM9:17 PM9:54 PM15h 35m
July5:57 AM6:41 AM8:29 PM9:13 PM9:49 PM15h 16m
August6:31 AM7:12 AM7:56 PM8:37 PM9:08 PM14h 05m
September7:08 AM7:47 AM7:03 PM7:41 PM8:11 PM12h 33m
October7:45 AM8:25 AM6:05 PM6:45 PM7:15 PM11h 01m
November7:27 AM8:11 AM4:17 PM5:01 PM5:33 PM9h 35m
December8:00 AM8:49 AM4:00 PM4:49 PM5:22 PM8h 48m

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

Where the sun rises and sets in Watertown

At Watertown 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 Watertown

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

Scenic Viewpoints

Scenic Viewpoint
Big Stone Lake Overlook68 km away · Big Stone County · 339 m

State Parks

Oakwood Lakes State ParkState Park
Oakwood Lakes State Park51 km away · Brookings County
Hartford Beach State ParkState Park
Hartford Beach State Park65 km away · Brookings County
Big Stone Lake State ParkState Park
Big Stone Lake State Park72 km away · Big Stone County

Lakes

Big Stone LakeLake
Big Stone Lake69 km away · Roberts County

Botanical Gardens

McCrory Gardens and South Dakota ArboretumBotanical Garden
McCrory Gardens and South Dakota Arboretum71 km away · Brookings County

National Wildlife Refuges

Waubay National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Waubay National Wildlife Refuge61 km away · Day County
Big Stone National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge71 km away · Big Stone County

Ghost Towns

ManchesterGhost Town
Manchester76 km away · Kingsbury County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Watertown is estimated at Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Waubay National Wildlife Refuge, about 61 km (38 mi) away (Bortle 1). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from April to August, best in June. Northern lights need roughly Kp 4.5+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.

Darkest skies within 200 km

LocationTypeDistanceEst. Bortle
Waubay National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge61 km (38 mi)1
Big Stone Lake OverlookScenic Viewpoint68 km (42 mi)1
Big Stone LakeLake69 km (43 mi)1
ManchesterGhost Town76 km (47 mi)1
Tewaukon National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge125 km (77 mi)1
Lake Elsie National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge128 km (80 mi)1
Sand Lake National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge132 km (82 mi)1
Dakota Lake National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge147 km (91 mi)1
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
March5:32 AM – 5:52 AM0.312°
April3:31 AM – 4:51 AM1.315°
May1:29 AM – 3:39 AM2.216°
June11:50 PM – 3:00 AM3.216°
July11:34 PM – 1:44 AM2.216°
August10:31 PM – 11:41 PM1.215°
September9:21 PM – 9:41 PM0.312°

Cloud cover by month

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 44% 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 Watertown today?
Today the morning golden hour is 7:33 AM – 8:32 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:56 PM – 6:55 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Watertown in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:45 PM and blue hour ends around 7:15 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Watertown?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 9:19 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:51 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Watertown?
Good options nearby include Big Stone Lake Overlook, Big Stone Lake. Check each page's sunset azimuth to see whether the sun sets in view.
Can you see the Milky Way from Watertown?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 6). Drive to Waubay National Wildlife Refuge (61 km (38 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Watertown?
Occasionally. Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5 or higher to show on the northern horizon at this geomagnetic latitude (53°). Cameras pick it up before your eyes do.