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Madison Golden Hour Calendar: October 2026

Sunrise, sunset, golden hour and moon for every day of October

In October 2026, sunrise in Madison moves from 6:55 AM on October 1 to 7:32 AM on October 31, and sunset from 6:41 PM to 5:52 PM. Daylight changes from 11h 45m to 10h 21m. The fullest moon falls on October 25 (100% lit) and the darkest nights for stars are around October 10.

Sunrise range
6:55 AM → 7:32 AM
Sunset range
6:41 PM → 5:52 PM
Full moon
Oct 25
moonrise 5:19 PM
New moon
Oct 10
best for stars

Day-by-day sun & moon times — October 2026

DateSunriseMorning golden hourEvening golden hourSunsetBlue hourDaylightMoonMoonrise
Thu 16:55 AM6:38 AM–7:33 AM6:03 PM–6:58 PM6:41 PM6:58 PM–7:09 PM11h 45m71%9:24 PM
Fri 26:57 AM6:39 AM–7:34 AM6:01 PM–6:56 PM6:39 PM6:56 PM–7:07 PM11h 42m60%10:30 PM
Sat 36:58 AM6:40 AM–7:36 AM5:59 PM–6:54 PM6:37 PM6:54 PM–7:05 PM11h 39m48%11:45 PM
Sun 46:59 AM6:41 AM–7:37 AM5:57 PM–6:53 PM6:35 PM6:53 PM–7:04 PM11h 36m37%—
Mon 57:00 AM6:43 AM–7:38 AM5:56 PM–6:51 PM6:33 PM6:51 PM–7:02 PM11h 33m26%1:04 AM
Tue 67:01 AM6:44 AM–7:39 AM5:54 PM–6:49 PM6:32 PM6:49 PM–7:00 PM11h 31m16%2:24 AM
Wed 77:02 AM6:45 AM–7:40 AM5:52 PM–6:47 PM6:30 PM6:47 PM–6:58 PM11h 28m9%3:41 AM
Thu 87:03 AM6:46 AM–7:42 AM5:50 PM–6:46 PM6:28 PM6:46 PM–6:57 PM11h 25m4%4:54 AM
Fri 97:05 AM6:47 AM–7:43 AM5:48 PM–6:44 PM6:26 PM6:44 PM–6:55 PM11h 22m1%6:05 AM
Sat 107:06 AM6:48 AM–7:44 AM5:47 PM–6:42 PM6:25 PM6:42 PM–6:53 PM11h 19m0%7:14 AM
Sun 117:07 AM6:49 AM–7:45 AM5:45 PM–6:41 PM6:23 PM6:41 PM–6:52 PM11h 16m2%8:23 AM
Mon 127:08 AM6:51 AM–7:46 AM5:43 PM–6:39 PM6:21 PM6:39 PM–6:50 PM11h 13m5%9:31 AM
Tue 137:09 AM6:52 AM–7:48 AM5:41 PM–6:37 PM6:20 PM6:37 PM–6:48 PM11h 10m10%10:38 AM
Wed 147:10 AM6:53 AM–7:49 AM5:39 PM–6:36 PM6:18 PM6:36 PM–6:47 PM11h 08m17%11:41 AM
Thu 157:12 AM6:54 AM–7:50 AM5:38 PM–6:34 PM6:16 PM6:34 PM–6:45 PM11h 05m24%12:38 PM
Fri 167:13 AM6:55 AM–7:52 AM5:36 PM–6:32 PM6:15 PM6:32 PM–6:43 PM11h 02m33%1:27 PM
Sat 177:14 AM6:56 AM–7:53 AM5:34 PM–6:31 PM6:13 PM6:31 PM–6:42 PM10h 59m42%2:07 PM
Sun 187:15 AM6:58 AM–7:54 AM5:33 PM–6:29 PM6:12 PM6:29 PM–6:40 PM10h 56m51%2:41 PM
Mon 197:17 AM6:59 AM–7:56 AM5:31 PM–6:28 PM6:10 PM6:28 PM–6:39 PM10h 53m61%3:08 PM
Tue 207:18 AM7:00 AM–7:57 AM5:29 PM–6:26 PM6:08 PM6:26 PM–6:37 PM10h 51m70%3:32 PM
Wed 217:19 AM7:01 AM–7:58 AM5:28 PM–6:25 PM6:07 PM6:25 PM–6:36 PM10h 48m79%3:53 PM
Thu 227:20 AM7:02 AM–8:00 AM5:26 PM–6:23 PM6:05 PM6:23 PM–6:34 PM10h 45m86%4:13 PM
Fri 237:21 AM7:04 AM–8:01 AM5:24 PM–6:22 PM6:04 PM6:22 PM–6:33 PM10h 42m93%4:34 PM
Sat 247:23 AM7:05 AM–8:02 AM5:23 PM–6:20 PM6:02 PM6:20 PM–6:31 PM10h 40m97%4:54 PM
Sun 257:24 AM7:06 AM–8:04 AM5:21 PM–6:19 PM6:01 PM6:19 PM–6:30 PM10h 37m100%5:19 PM
Mon 267:25 AM7:07 AM–8:05 AM5:19 PM–6:17 PM5:59 PM6:17 PM–6:28 PM10h 34m99%5:49 PM
Tue 277:26 AM7:08 AM–8:06 AM5:18 PM–6:16 PM5:58 PM6:16 PM–6:27 PM10h 31m97%6:26 PM
Wed 287:28 AM7:10 AM–8:08 AM5:16 PM–6:14 PM5:56 PM6:14 PM–6:26 PM10h 29m92%7:13 PM
Thu 297:29 AM7:11 AM–8:09 AM5:15 PM–6:13 PM5:55 PM6:13 PM–6:24 PM10h 26m84%8:13 PM
Fri 307:30 AM7:12 AM–8:11 AM5:13 PM–6:12 PM5:54 PM6:12 PM–6:23 PM10h 23m75%9:25 PM
Sat 317:32 AM7:13 AM–8:12 AM5:12 PM–6:10 PM5:52 PM6:10 PM–6:22 PM10h 21m64%10:44 PM

Highlighted rows are full and new moon days. Times are local (America/Chicago) and computed for Madison city center.

Photo planning tips for October

  • Peak fall color moves south through most states.
  • The Milky Way core sets early in the evening — shoot it right after dark.
  • The Orionid meteor shower peaks around October 21.

Other months

JanuaryMadisonFebruaryMadisonMarchMadisonAprilMadisonMayMadisonJuneMadisonJulyMadisonAugustMadisonSeptemberMadisonOctoberMadisonNovemberMadisonDecemberMadison

FAQ

What time is sunset in Madison in October?
Between 6:41 PM (on October 1) and 5:52 PM (on October 31), local time.
When is golden hour in Madison in October?
On October 15 the evening golden hour is 5:38 PM–6:34 PM and the morning golden hour is 6:54 AM–7:50 AM.
When is the full moon in October 2026?
The moon is fullest on October 25; it rises around 5:19 PM in Madison. Full moonrise at dusk is a classic landscape shot.