Located in Coconino County, Arizona, Flagstaff is a dark sky place. The nearest town is Flagstaff, about 1.8 km (1.1 mi) away (Flagstaff lies E of town). It is certified as an International Dark Sky Community by DarkSky International.
Flagstaff ( FLAG-staf) is a city in and the county seat of Coconino County, Arizona, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 76,831.From the Wikipedia article “Flagstaff, Arizona”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Flagstaff the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:31 AM | 90° E | 6:39 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:13 AM | 60° ENE | 7:45 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 32m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:15 AM | 89° E | 6:25 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:32 AM | 119° ESE | 5:19 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 9h 47m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Certified dark sky places offer protected night skies — plan around the new moon and the Milky Way core season.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:08 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:13 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 03m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:35 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 6:13 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:29 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:25 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:23 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:52 PM | 14h 01m |
| June | 4:43 AM | 5:12 AM | 5:50 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:13 PM | 14h 31m |
| July | 4:55 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:11 PM | 14h 18m |
| August | 5:20 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:44 PM | 13h 30m |
| September | 5:45 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:44 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:01 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:08 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:18 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:35 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 19m |
| December | 7:00 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 48m |
Local time (America/Phoenix), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Flagstaff, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:15 AM – 5:45 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:19 AM – 5:09 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:19 AM – 4:19 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:24 PM – 3:34 AM | 4.2 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:31 PM – 3:21 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:27 PM – 1:57 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:50 PM – 11:50 PM | 3.0 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:01 PM – 9:51 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:18 PM – 7:58 PM | 0.7 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.52 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 24% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (54%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 69 | 73 | 84 | 90 | 101 | 106 | 106 | 104 | 102 | 91 | 80 | 71 |
| Low °F | 4 | 3 | 14 | 22 | 28 | 39 | 53 | 50 | 37 | 18 | 12 | 7 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.4 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this dark sky place
- Use the NPF rule below to choose the longest exposure before stars trail.
- Many parks host star parties and night programs during summer.
- Use the Milky Way table to find months and hours when the core is above the horizon.
- Use red light only and keep it pointed down to protect others' night vision.
- Set focus on a bright star with live-view magnification, then tape the focus ring.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Milky Way core season runs roughly March to October; winter offers long nights and bright winter constellations.
Suggested gear: Fast wide lens (f/1.4–f/2.8), Sturdy tripod, Red headlamp, Intervalometer. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Flagstaff, closest first.
State Park
Mountain Peak
Botanical Garden
Scenic Viewpoint
Fire Lookout
Volcano
Mountain PeakMountain Peak
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Canyon Vista8.9 km (5.6 mi) · reservable
- Little Elden Springs Horsecamp10.4 km (6.5 mi) · reservable
- Lockett Meadow Campground17.8 km (11.0 mi)
- Lakeview Campground (Az)19.3 km (12.0 mi) · reservable
- Oleary Group Site20 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Flagstaff?
What time is golden hour at Flagstaff?
Where does the sun rise and set at Flagstaff?
Can you see the Milky Way from Flagstaff?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Flagstaff?
How far is Flagstaff from Flagstaff?
Sources
Location data: DarkSky International (via Wikidata), Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.