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Flag of Richland
46.2857° N119.2845° W117 mBortle 7Los Angeles

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Richland, WA

Benton County, Washington · pop. 54,248

  • Sunrise 7:22 AM
  • Sunset 6:03 PM
  • Bortle 7

Richland is a city of about 54,248 people in Benton County, Washington, at 117 m (384 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:22 AM and sets at 6:03 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:22 PM – 6:22 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Richland

Live
Sunrise
7:22 AM
Sunset
6:03 PM
Golden hour AM
7:03 AM – 8:03 AM
Golden hour PM
5:22 PM – 6:22 PM
Blue hour AM
6:51 AM – 7:03 AM
Blue hour PM
6:22 PM – 6:34 PM
Full darkness
7:43 PM – 5:43 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:40 PM / 1:04 AM
Day length
10h 41m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. 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
January7:37 AM8:25 AM3:49 PM4:38 PM5:11 PM9h 01m
February7:01 AM7:44 AM4:41 PM5:23 PM5:54 PM10h 22m
March7:11 AM7:50 AM6:23 PM7:03 PM7:33 PM11h 52m
April6:11 AM6:51 AM7:04 PM7:44 PM8:16 PM13h 34m
May5:25 AM6:09 AM7:40 PM8:24 PM8:59 PM14h 59m
June5:05 AM5:52 AM8:05 PM8:52 PM9:30 PM15h 46m
July5:21 AM6:06 AM8:01 PM8:47 PM9:24 PM15h 26m
August5:57 AM6:38 AM7:27 PM8:08 PM8:41 PM14h 11m
September6:36 AM7:16 AM6:31 PM7:10 PM7:41 PM12h 34m
October7:15 AM7:56 AM5:31 PM6:12 PM6:42 PM10h 57m
November6:59 AM7:45 AM3:40 PM4:26 PM4:59 PM9h 27m
December7:34 AM8:25 AM3:21 PM4:12 PM4:47 PM8h 38m

Local time in America/Los Angeles, daylight saving time included.

Where the sun rises and sets in Richland

At Richland the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

Best photo spots near Richland

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

Scenic Viewpoints

B Reactor OverlookScenic Viewpoint
B Reactor Overlook53 km away · Benton County

State Parks

Sacajawea State ParkState Park
Sacajawea State Park21 km away · Franklin County
Hat Rock State ParkState Park
Hat Rock State Park42 km away · Umatilla County
Columbia Plateau State Park TrailState Park
Columbia Plateau State Park Trail69 km away · Franklin County
Potholes State ParkState Park
Potholes State Park77 km away · Grant County

Lakes

Soda LakeLake
Soda Lake75 km away · Grant County · 305 m

Lighthouses

Clover Island LightLighthouse
Clover Island Light15 km away · Benton County

Botanical Gardens

Botanical Garden
Oregon Trail Arboretum61 km away · Umatilla County

Mountain Peaks

Candy MountainMountain Peak
Candy Mountain7.0 km away · Benton County · 425 m
Badger MountainMountain Peak
Badger Mountain6.4 km away · Benton County · 477 m
Red MountainMountain Peak
Red Mountain12 km away · Benton County · 380 m
Rattlesnake MountainMountain Peak
Rattlesnake Mountain28 km away · Benton County · 1,076 m

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Richland is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Ukiah–Dale Forest State Scenic Corridor, about 131 km (82 mi) away (Bortle 1). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from April to August, best in June. Northern lights need roughly Kp 5.0+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.

Darkest skies within 200 km

LocationTypeDistanceEst. Bortle
Ukiah–Dale Forest State Scenic CorridorState Park131 km (82 mi)1
Thompson FallsWaterfall141 km (88 mi)1
Meadow Brooks FallsWaterfall149 km (93 mi)1
Ritter Hot SpringsHot Spring155 km (96 mi)1
Powell Hot SpringsHot Spring156 km (97 mi)1
North Fork John Day WildernessWilderness Area162 km (100 mi)1
Crawfish LakeLake170 km (106 mi)1
Minam FallsWaterfall172 km (107 mi)1
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
March5:13 AM – 5:23 AM0.211°
April3:15 AM – 4:15 AM1.014°
May1:09 AM – 2:59 AM1.815°
June11:36 PM – 2:16 AM2.715°
July11:16 PM – 1:06 AM1.815°
August10:07 PM – 10:57 PM0.814°
September8:54 PM – 9:04 PM0.211°

Cloud cover by month

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 26% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (79%). 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 Richland today?
Today the morning golden hour is 7:03 AM – 8:03 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:22 PM – 6:22 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Richland in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:12 PM and blue hour ends around 6:42 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Richland?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 8:54 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:14 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Richland?
Good options nearby include Badger Mountain, Candy Mountain, Red Mountain. Check each page's sunset azimuth to see whether the sun sets in view.
Can you see the Milky Way from Richland?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 7). Drive to Ukiah–Dale Forest State Scenic Corridor (131 km (82 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Richland?
Occasionally. Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0 or higher to show on the northern horizon at this geomagnetic latitude (52°). Cameras pick it up before your eyes do.