Murfreesboro is a city of about 165,430 people in Rutherford County, Tennessee, at 186 m (610 ft). Today the sun rises at 6:57 AM and sets at 6:05 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:30 PM – 6:21 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 | 6:56 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:23 PM | 10h 00m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:09 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:54 PM | 10h 54m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:19 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:13 AM | 6:48 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:45 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:41 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:13 PM | 14h 03m |
| June | 5:30 AM | 6:08 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 35m |
| July | 5:41 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 22m |
| August | 6:05 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 32m |
| September | 6:29 AM | 7:03 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:20 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:53 AM | 7:27 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:37 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 7:00 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:07 PM | 10h 17m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:29 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:02 PM | 9h 45m |
Local time in America/Chicago, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Murfreesboro
At Murfreesboro 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 Murfreesboro
46 photo locations lie within 80 km of Murfreesboro. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
Scenic Viewpoints
Waterfalls
State Parks
Botanical Gardens
Natural Arches
Ghost Towns
Night sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Murfreesboro is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Cordell Hull Birthplace State Park, about 136 km (84 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 | 136 km (84 mi) | 2 |
| Cumberland Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | 139 km (86 mi) | 2 |
| Lookout Point | Scenic Viewpoint | 142 km (88 mi) | 2 |
| Magendanz Falls | Waterfall | 147 km (91 mi) | 2 |
| Northrup Falls | Waterfall | 148 km (92 mi) | 2 |
| Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park | State Park | 150 km (93 mi) | 2 |
| Seventy Six Falls | Waterfall | 154 km (96 mi) | 2 |
| Creelsboro Natural Bridge | Natural Arch | 155 km (96 mi) | 2 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 4:34 AM – 5:04 AM | 0.5 | 15° |
| March | 3:39 AM – 5:29 AM | 1.8 | 22° |
| April | 1:39 AM – 4:39 AM | 3.0 | 25° |
| May | 11:45 PM – 3:55 AM | 4.2 | 25° |
| June | 9:53 PM – 3:33 AM | 5.7 | 25° |
| July | 9:48 PM – 2:08 AM | 4.3 | 25° |
| August | 9:11 PM – 12:11 AM | 3.0 | 25° |
| September | 8:21 PM – 10:11 PM | 1.8 | 22° |
| October | 7:37 PM – 8:07 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.
