Port Arthur is a city of about 55,340 people in Jefferson County, Texas. Today the sun rises at 7:21 AM and sets at 6:41 PM; the evening golden hour runs 6:09 PM – 6:56 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 | 7:13 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 26m |
| February | 6:56 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:30 PM | 11h 09m |
| March | 7:27 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:48 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:50 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:08 PM | 12h 53m |
| May | 6:23 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 39m |
| June | 6:15 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 03m |
| July | 6:26 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 53m |
| August | 6:44 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:26 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 14m |
| September | 7:01 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:18 AM | 7:50 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:46 PM | 7:10 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 6:42 AM | 7:16 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:46 PM | 10h 40m |
| December | 7:05 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:45 PM | 10h 14m |
Local time in America/Chicago, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Port Arthur
At Port Arthur the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 84° in summer but only 37° in winter.
Best photo spots near Port Arthur
14 photo locations lie within 80 km of Port Arthur. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
State Parks
Lakes
Lighthouses
Beaches
Botanical Gardens
Botanical Garden
Botanical GardenNational Wildlife Refuges
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife RefugeNight sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Port Arthur is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Sabine Bank Light, about 51 km (31 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sabine Bank Light | Lighthouse | 51 km (31 mi) | 2 |
| Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | 104 km (65 mi) | 2 |
| Sam Rayburn Reservoir | Lake | 132 km (82 mi) | 2 |
| Upland Island Wilderness | Wilderness Area | 138 km (85 mi) | 2 |
| Toledo Bend Reservoir | Lake | 150 km (93 mi) | 2 |
| South Toledo Bend State Park | State Park | 151 km (94 mi) | 2 |
| Hodges Gardens State Park | State Park | 172 km (107 mi) | 2 |
| Odum Falls | Waterfall | 181 km (113 mi) | 2 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 4:36 AM – 5:26 AM | 0.8 | 18° |
| March | 3:44 AM – 6:04 AM | 2.3 | 28° |
| April | 1:47 AM – 5:17 AM | 3.5 | 31° |
| May | 11:44 PM – 4:44 AM | 5.0 | 31° |
| June | 9:56 PM – 4:36 AM | 6.7 | 31° |
| July | 9:53 PM – 3:13 AM | 5.3 | 31° |
| August | 9:25 PM – 1:05 AM | 3.7 | 31° |
| September | 8:43 PM – 11:03 PM | 2.3 | 28° |
| October | 8:06 PM – 9:06 PM | 1.0 | 20° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 38% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). August is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.