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37.2935° N80.0548° W325 mBortle 6New York

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Salem, VA

City of Salem, Virginia · pop. 25,432

  • Sunrise 7:33 AM
  • Sunset 6:38 PM
  • Bortle 6

Salem is a city of about 25,432 people in City of Salem, Virginia, at 325 m (1,066 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:33 AM and sets at 6:38 PM; the evening golden hour runs 6:02 PM – 6:54 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Salem

Live
Sunrise
7:33 AM
Sunset
6:38 PM
Golden hour AM
7:17 AM – 8:09 AM
Golden hour PM
6:02 PM – 6:54 PM
Blue hour AM
7:07 AM – 7:17 AM
Blue hour PM
6:54 PM – 7:04 PM
Full darkness
8:05 PM – 6:07 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:44 PM / 1:41 AM
Day length
11h 05m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise, sunset & golden hour by month

Month (15th)SunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:34 AM8:13 AM4:47 PM5:26 PM5:55 PM9h 53m
February7:10 AM7:46 AM5:24 PM6:00 PM6:27 PM10h 50m
March7:32 AM8:07 AM6:53 PM7:28 PM7:54 PM11h 56m
April6:46 AM7:21 AM7:20 PM7:55 PM8:22 PM13h 09m
May6:12 AM6:49 AM7:45 PM8:22 PM8:52 PM14h 10m
June6:00 AM6:39 AM8:04 PM8:43 PM9:14 PM14h 43m
July6:12 AM6:50 AM8:03 PM8:41 PM9:12 PM14h 29m
August6:37 AM7:13 AM7:38 PM8:14 PM8:42 PM13h 37m
September7:03 AM7:37 AM6:55 PM7:30 PM7:56 PM12h 27m
October7:29 AM8:04 AM6:09 PM6:45 PM7:11 PM11h 16m
November7:00 AM7:38 AM4:33 PM5:11 PM5:39 PM10h 11m
December7:28 AM8:08 AM4:24 PM5:05 PM5:34 PM9h 37m

Local time in America/New York, daylight saving time included.

Where the sun rises and sets in Salem

At Salem the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

Best photo spots near Salem

132 photo locations lie within 80 km of Salem. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.

Scenic Viewpoints

Scenic Viewpoint
Masons Knob Overlook11 km away · Roanoke County · 434 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Buck Mountain Overlook13 km away · City of Salem · 448 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Poages Mill Overlook13 km away · Roanoke County · 611 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Lost Mountain Overlook13 km away · Roanoke County · 682 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Roanoke Valley Overlook13 km away · Roanoke County · 652 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Metz Run Overlook13 km away · Roanoke County · 573 m

Waterfalls

Waterfall
Falling Rock Falls21 km away · Franklin County · 258 m
Waterfall
Meadow Creek Falls22 km away · Craig County · 529 m
Waterfall
Styles Falls30 km away · Floyd County · 551 m
Waterfall
Fallingwater Cascades47 km away · Botetourt County
Waterfall
Beaverdam Falls45 km away · Alleghany County · 548 m
Waterfall
Upper Falls47 km away · Giles County · 910 m

State Parks

Moncove Lake State ParkState Park
Moncove Lake State Park45 km away · Monroe County
Smith Mountain Lake State ParkState Park
Smith Mountain Lake State Park46 km away · Bedford County
Fairy Stone State ParkState Park
Fairy Stone State Park57 km away · Henry County
Claytor Lake State ParkState Park
Claytor Lake State Park57 km away · Pulaski County
Douthat State ParkState Park
Douthat State Park71 km away · Bath County

Lakes

Mountain LakeLake
Mountain Lake43 km away · Giles County · 1,181 m

Botanical Gardens

Hahn Horticulture GardenBotanical Garden
Hahn Horticulture Garden34 km away · Montgomery County

Covered Bridges

Sinking Creek Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Sinking Creek Covered Bridge39 km away · Giles County
Link Farm Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Link Farm Covered Bridge41 km away · Giles County
Indian Creek Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Indian Creek Covered Bridge54 km away · Monroe County
Humpback Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Humpback Covered Bridge56 km away · Alleghany County
Laurel Creek Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Laurel Creek Covered Bridge59 km away · Monroe County
Bob White Covered BridgeCovered Bridge
Bob White Covered Bridge60 km away · Patrick County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Salem is estimated at Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Indian Creek Covered Bridge, about 54 km (34 mi) away (Bortle 2). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from March to September, best in June. Northern lights need roughly Kp 8.0+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.

Darkest skies within 200 km

LocationTypeDistanceEst. Bortle
Indian Creek Covered BridgeCovered Bridge54 km (34 mi)2
Haynes CaveCave58 km (36 mi)2
Laurel Creek Covered BridgeCovered Bridge59 km (36 mi)2
Hokes Mill Covered BridgeCovered Bridge61 km (38 mi)2
EgyptGhost Town71 km (44 mi)2
Gunpowder Ridge OverlookScenic Viewpoint72 km (45 mi)2
Big Draft WildernessWilderness Area72 km (45 mi)2
JuntaGhost Town74 km (46 mi)2
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
February5:18 AM – 5:38 AM0.313°
March4:24 AM – 5:54 AM1.520°
April2:27 AM – 5:07 AM2.724°
May12:26 AM – 4:26 AM4.024°
June10:36 PM – 4:06 AM5.524°
July10:30 PM – 2:40 AM4.224°
August9:50 PM – 12:40 AM2.824°
September8:58 PM – 10:38 PM1.721°
October8:11 PM – 8:31 PM0.314°

Cloud cover by month

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 54% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (69%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

FAQ

What time is golden hour in Salem today?
Today the morning golden hour is 7:17 AM – 8:09 AM and the evening golden hour is 6:02 PM – 6:54 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Salem in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:45 PM and blue hour ends around 7:11 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Salem?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 8:45 PM — and earliest in December, around 5:07 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Salem?
Good options nearby include Masons Knob Overlook, Buck Mountain Overlook, Poages Mill Overlook. Check each page's sunset azimuth to see whether the sun sets in view.
Can you see the Milky Way from Salem?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 6). Drive to Indian Creek Covered Bridge (54 km (34 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Salem?
Occasionally. Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0 or higher to show on the northern horizon at this geomagnetic latitude (46°). Cameras pick it up before your eyes do.