Franklin is a city of about 72,639 people in Williamson County, Tennessee, at 196 m (643 ft). Today the sun rises at 6:59 AM and sets at 6:07 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:32 PM – 6:23 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 | 4:19 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:25 PM | 9h 59m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:56 PM | 10h 54m |
| March | 6:59 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:15 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:47 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:43 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:15 PM | 14h 04m |
| June | 5:31 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 35m |
| July | 5:43 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 22m |
| August | 6:07 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 32m |
| September | 6:31 AM | 7:05 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:22 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:09 PM | 10h 17m |
| December | 6:51 AM | 7:31 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:04 PM | 9h 44m |
Local time in America/Chicago, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Franklin
At Franklin 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 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
Best photo spots near Franklin
26 photo locations lie within 80 km of Franklin. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
Scenic Viewpoints
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Natural Arches
Ghost Towns
Night sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Franklin is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Cumberland Overlook, about 165 km (102 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumberland Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | 165 km (102 mi) | 2 |
| Cordell Hull Birthplace State Park | State Park | 168 km (104 mi) | 2 |
| Lookout Point | Scenic Viewpoint | 179 km (111 mi) | 2 |
| Creelsboro Natural Bridge | Natural Arch | 181 km (112 mi) | 2 |
| Rock House Natural Bridge | Natural Arch | 181 km (112 mi) | 2 |
| Seventy Six Falls | Waterfall | 183 km (114 mi) | 2 |
| Magendanz Falls | Waterfall | 184 km (115 mi) | 2 |
| Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park | State Park | 184 km (115 mi) | 2 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 4:35 AM – 5:05 AM | 0.5 | 15° |
| March | 3:40 AM – 5:30 AM | 1.8 | 22° |
| April | 1:41 AM – 4:41 AM | 3.0 | 25° |
| May | 11:47 PM – 3:57 AM | 4.2 | 25° |
| June | 9:56 PM – 3:36 AM | 5.7 | 25° |
| July | 9:50 PM – 2:10 AM | 4.3 | 25° |
| August | 9:13 PM – 12:13 AM | 3.0 | 25° |
| September | 8:23 PM – 10:13 PM | 1.8 | 22° |
| October | 7:38 PM – 8:08 PM | 0.5 | 15° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and February 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.