Plainview is a city of about 20,919 people in Hale County, Texas, at 1,025 m (3,363 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:57 AM and sets at 7:08 PM; the evening golden hour runs 6:34 PM – 7:23 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 | 7:53 AM | 8:31 AM | 5:23 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:28 PM | 10h 07m |
| February | 7:33 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:57 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 7:58 AM | 8:31 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:20 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 7:16 AM | 7:50 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 6:46 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:10 PM | 13h 56m |
| June | 6:36 AM | 7:12 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:30 PM | 14h 25m |
| July | 6:47 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:29 PM | 14h 13m |
| August | 7:09 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:02 PM | 13h 26m |
| September | 7:31 AM | 8:04 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:20 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 7:53 AM | 8:26 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:39 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 7:21 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 24m |
| December | 7:46 AM | 8:25 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:07 PM | 9h 53m |
Local time in America/Chicago, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Plainview
At Plainview the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
Best photo spots near Plainview
7 photo locations lie within 80 km of Plainview. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
Waterfalls
State Parks
Natural Arches
Ghost Towns
Night sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Plainview is estimated at Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Natural Bridge, about 65 km (41 mi) away (Bortle 1). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Bridge | Natural Arch | 65 km (41 mi) | 1 |
| Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway | State Park | 67 km (41 mi) | 1 |
| Salt Croton Falls | Waterfall | 156 km (97 mi) | 1 |
| Glenrio | Ghost Town | 165 km (102 mi) | 1 |
| Double Mountain | Mountain Peak | 170 km (106 mi) | 1 |
| Copper Breaks State Park | Dark Sky Place | 180 km (112 mi) | 1 |
| Copper Breaks State Park | State Park | 180 km (112 mi) | 1 |
| Natural Bridge | Natural Arch | 182 km (113 mi) | 1 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 5:25 AM – 6:05 AM | 0.7 | 16° |
| March | 4:39 AM – 6:29 AM | 1.8 | 23° |
| April | 2:37 AM – 5:47 AM | 3.2 | 27° |
| May | 12:40 AM – 5:00 AM | 4.3 | 27° |
| June | 10:46 PM – 4:46 AM | 6.0 | 27° |
| July | 10:42 PM – 3:22 AM | 4.7 | 27° |
| August | 10:07 PM – 1:17 AM | 3.2 | 27° |
| September | 9:20 PM – 11:20 PM | 2.0 | 24° |
| October | 8:37 PM – 9:17 PM | 0.7 | 16° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 37% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (50%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.