Bristol is a city of about 26,666 people in Sullivan County, Tennessee, at 511 m (1,677 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:41 AM and sets at 6:47 PM; the evening golden hour runs 6:12 PM – 7:03 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour by month
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:41 AM | 8:20 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:05 PM | 9h 56m |
| February | 7:18 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:36 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 7:41 AM | 8:15 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:02 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:56 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 07m |
| May | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 07m |
| June | 6:11 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:20 PM | 14h 39m |
| July | 6:23 AM | 7:00 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 26m |
| August | 6:47 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 7:12 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:04 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:37 AM | 8:11 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 7:07 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 14m |
| December | 7:35 AM | 8:15 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 41m |
Local time in America/New York, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Bristol
At Bristol the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
Best photo spots near Bristol
103 photo locations lie within 80 km of Bristol. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
Scenic Viewpoints
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Mountain Peaks
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Night sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Bristol is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Pound Gap, about 74 km (46 mi) away (Bortle 2). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from February to October, best in June.
Darkest skies within 200 km
| Location | Type | Distance | Est. Bortle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pound Gap | Mountain Pass | 74 km (46 mi) | 2 |
| The Towers Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | 77 km (48 mi) | 2 |
| Clinchfield Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | 78 km (48 mi) | 2 |
| The Breaks Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | 78 km (48 mi) | 2 |
| State Line Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | 78 km (49 mi) | 2 |
| Breaks Interstate Park | State Park | 79 km (49 mi) | 2 |
| Natural Bridge | Natural Arch | 87 km (54 mi) | 2 |
| Carr Creek State Park | State Park | 101 km (63 mi) | 2 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 5:17 AM – 5:47 AM | 0.5 | 14° |
| March | 4:33 AM – 6:13 AM | 1.7 | 21° |
| April | 2:24 AM – 5:14 AM | 2.8 | 24° |
| May | 12:31 AM – 4:31 AM | 4.0 | 25° |
| June | 10:40 PM – 4:10 AM | 5.5 | 25° |
| July | 10:35 PM – 2:55 AM | 4.3 | 25° |
| August | 9:57 PM – 12:47 AM | 2.8 | 24° |
| September | 9:05 PM – 10:45 PM | 1.7 | 21° |
| October | 8:20 PM – 8:50 PM | 0.5 | 14° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 50% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (70%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.