All cities › United States · Tuesday, 13 October 2026
Chicago
blue hour today
Blue hour in Chicago is the short, cool-toned window when the sun sits just below the horizon and the sky glows deep blue — prized for cityscapes and waterfronts. Below are today's blue hour, golden hour and sunset times.
Spring and autumn here offer the year's most photogenic skies — gentle haze, longer twilight than midsummer, and reliable color in both the morning and evening golden hours.
Today · America/Chicago
Sky chart for Chicago
Day length
11:11
00:00
06:00
12:00
18:00
00:00
Sunrise
07:01
Solar noon
12:36
Sunset
18:12
Day length
11:11
Today's photographer's window
Golden hour · morning
06:43 → 07:38
Golden hour · evening
17:34 → 18:29
Next 7 days · Chicago
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hr (PM) | Blue hr (PM) | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, 13 Oct | 07:01 | 18:12 | 17:34 → 18:29 | 18:29 → 18:40 | 11:11 |
| Wed, 14 Oct | 07:02 | 18:10 | 17:33 → 18:28 | 18:28 → 18:38 | 11:08 |
| Thu, 15 Oct | 07:03 | 18:09 | 17:31 → 18:26 | 18:26 → 18:37 | 11:06 |
| Fri, 16 Oct | 07:04 | 18:07 | 17:29 → 18:25 | 18:25 → 18:35 | 11:03 |
| Sat, 17 Oct | 07:05 | 18:06 | 17:28 → 18:23 | 18:23 → 18:34 | 11:00 |
| Sun, 18 Oct | 07:06 | 18:04 | 17:26 → 18:21 | 18:21 → 18:32 | 10:57 |
| Mon, 19 Oct | 07:07 | 18:03 | 17:24 → 18:20 | 18:20 → 18:31 | 10:55 |
Best evening golden hour this week
Monday, 19 October
Longest evening golden window: 17:24 → 18:20. Block this slot on your calendar.
Next 30 days · expanded table
| Date | Sunrise | Golden (AM) | Solar noon | Golden (PM) | Sunset | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, 13 Oct | 07:01 | 06:43 → 07:38 | 12:36 | 17:34 → 18:29 | 18:12 | 11:11 |
| Wed, 14 Oct | 07:02 | 06:44 → 07:39 | 12:36 | 17:33 → 18:28 | 18:10 | 11:08 |
| Thu, 15 Oct | 07:03 | 06:46 → 07:41 | 12:36 | 17:31 → 18:26 | 18:09 | 11:06 |
| Fri, 16 Oct | 07:04 | 06:47 → 07:42 | 12:36 | 17:29 → 18:25 | 18:07 | 11:03 |
| Sat, 17 Oct | 07:05 | 06:48 → 07:43 | 12:35 | 17:28 → 18:23 | 18:06 | 11:00 |
| Sun, 18 Oct | 07:06 | 06:49 → 07:44 | 12:35 | 17:26 → 18:21 | 18:04 | 10:57 |
| Mon, 19 Oct | 07:07 | 06:50 → 07:46 | 12:35 | 17:24 → 18:20 | 18:03 | 10:55 |
| Tue, 20 Oct | 07:09 | 06:51 → 07:47 | 12:35 | 17:23 → 18:18 | 18:01 | 10:52 |
| Wed, 21 Oct | 07:10 | 06:52 → 07:48 | 12:35 | 17:21 → 18:17 | 18:00 | 10:49 |
| Thu, 22 Oct | 07:11 | 06:53 → 07:49 | 12:35 | 17:20 → 18:16 | 17:58 | 10:47 |
| Fri, 23 Oct | 07:12 | 06:55 → 07:51 | 12:34 | 17:18 → 18:14 | 17:57 | 10:44 |
| Sat, 24 Oct | 07:13 | 06:56 → 07:52 | 12:34 | 17:16 → 18:13 | 17:55 | 10:42 |
| Sun, 25 Oct | 07:14 | 06:57 → 07:53 | 12:34 | 17:15 → 18:11 | 17:54 | 10:39 |
| Mon, 26 Oct | 07:16 | 06:58 → 07:55 | 12:34 | 17:13 → 18:10 | 17:52 | 10:36 |
| Tue, 27 Oct | 07:17 | 06:59 → 07:56 | 12:34 | 17:12 → 18:09 | 17:51 | 10:34 |
| Wed, 28 Oct | 07:18 | 07:00 → 07:57 | 12:34 | 17:10 → 18:07 | 17:50 | 10:31 |
| Thu, 29 Oct | 07:19 | 07:01 → 07:59 | 12:34 | 17:09 → 18:06 | 17:48 | 10:29 |
| Fri, 30 Oct | 07:20 | 07:03 → 08:00 | 12:34 | 17:08 → 18:05 | 17:47 | 10:26 |
| Sat, 31 Oct | 07:22 | 07:04 → 08:01 | 12:34 | 17:06 → 18:03 | 17:46 | 10:24 |
| Sun, 1 Nov | 06:23 | 06:05 → 07:03 | 11:34 | 16:05 → 17:02 | 16:44 | 10:21 |
| Mon, 2 Nov | 06:24 | 06:06 → 07:04 | 11:34 | 16:03 → 17:01 | 16:43 | 10:19 |
| Tue, 3 Nov | 06:25 | 06:07 → 07:05 | 11:34 | 16:02 → 17:00 | 16:42 | 10:16 |
| Wed, 4 Nov | 06:27 | 06:09 → 07:07 | 11:34 | 16:01 → 16:59 | 16:41 | 10:14 |
| Thu, 5 Nov | 06:28 | 06:10 → 07:08 | 11:34 | 15:59 → 16:58 | 16:40 | 10:11 |
| Fri, 6 Nov | 06:29 | 06:11 → 07:09 | 11:34 | 15:58 → 16:56 | 16:38 | 10:09 |
| Sat, 7 Nov | 06:30 | 06:12 → 07:11 | 11:34 | 15:57 → 16:55 | 16:37 | 10:07 |
| Sun, 8 Nov | 06:31 | 06:13 → 07:12 | 11:34 | 15:56 → 16:54 | 16:36 | 10:04 |
| Mon, 9 Nov | 06:33 | 06:14 → 07:13 | 11:34 | 15:54 → 16:53 | 16:35 | 10:02 |
| Tue, 10 Nov | 06:34 | 06:16 → 07:15 | 11:34 | 15:53 → 16:52 | 16:34 | 10:00 |
| Wed, 11 Nov | 06:35 | 06:17 → 07:16 | 11:34 | 15:52 → 16:51 | 16:33 | 09:58 |
Frequently asked
- What time is golden hour in Chicago today?
- The evening golden hour begins at 17:34 and lasts until 18:29 local time. Morning golden hour is from 06:43 to 07:38.
- When does the sun rise and set in Chicago?
- Today the sun rises at 07:01 and sets at 18:12. Solar noon — the moment the sun is highest — is at 12:36.
- What's the moon phase in Chicago tonight?
- 🌒 Waxing Crescent — 4% illuminated. Moonrise at 10:30, moonset at 19:40.
- When is the best season for golden hour photography in Chicago?
- Spring and autumn here offer the year's most photogenic skies — gentle haze, longer twilight than midsummer, and reliable color in both the morning and evening golden hours.