Columbia is a city of about 36,800 people in Maury County, Tennessee, at 196 m (643 ft). Today the sun rises at 6:59 AM and sets at 6:08 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:33 PM – 6:24 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 | 6:58 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:26 PM | 10h 01m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:30 PM | 5:57 PM | 10h 55m |
| March | 7:00 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:16 AM | 6:50 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:48 PM | 13h 05m |
| May | 5:44 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:15 PM | 14h 02m |
| June | 5:33 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 33m |
| July | 5:44 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 20m |
| August | 6:08 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 31m |
| September | 6:32 AM | 7:05 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:23 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:14 PM | 6:40 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:10 PM | 10h 18m |
| December | 6:51 AM | 7:31 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:05 PM | 9h 46m |
Local time in America/Chicago, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Columbia
At Columbia 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
Best photo spots near Columbia
28 photo locations lie within 80 km of Columbia. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
Scenic Viewpoints
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointWaterfalls
Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfallState Parks
State Park
State Park
State Park
State Park
State Park
State ParkBotanical Gardens
Natural Arches
Ghost Towns
Night sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Columbia is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Cordell Hull Birthplace State Park, about 198 km (123 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cordell Hull Birthplace State Park | State Park | 198 km (123 mi) | 2 |
| Cumberland Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | 198 km (123 mi) | 2 |
| Baker Bluff Overlook, Milepost 405.1 | Scenic Viewpoint | 25 km (15 mi) | 3 |
| Jackson Falls | Waterfall | 25 km (16 mi) | 3 |
| Eagle Falls | Waterfall | 27 km (17 mi) | 3 |
| Stillhouse Hollow Falls State Natural Area | Waterfall | 27 km (17 mi) | 3 |
| Rattlesnake Falls | Waterfall | 28 km (17 mi) | 3 |
| Marcella Falls | Waterfall | 32 km (20 mi) | 3 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 4:36 AM – 5:06 AM | 0.5 | 15° |
| March | 3:41 AM – 5:31 AM | 1.8 | 22° |
| April | 1:41 AM – 4:41 AM | 3.0 | 25° |
| May | 11:46 PM – 3:56 AM | 4.2 | 26° |
| June | 9:54 PM – 3:44 AM | 5.8 | 26° |
| July | 9:49 PM – 2:19 AM | 4.5 | 26° |
| August | 9:12 PM – 12:12 AM | 3.0 | 25° |
| September | 8:23 PM – 10:13 PM | 1.8 | 22° |
| October | 7:39 PM – 8:09 PM | 0.5 | 15° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (67%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.