All cities › United States · Friday, 11 September 2026
Chicago
golden hour tonight
Sunrise, sunset, golden hour and blue hour times for Chicago — updated daily. Use the tables below to plan photography, hikes and any activity that depends on the light.
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
12:40
00:00
06:00
12:00
18:00
00:00
Sunrise
06:27
Solar noon
12:47
Sunset
19:07
Day length
12:40
Today's photographer's window
Golden hour · morning
06:09 → 07:03
Golden hour · evening
18:30 → 19:24
Next 7 days · Chicago
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Golden hr (PM) | Blue hr (PM) | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 11 Sep | 06:27 | 19:07 | 18:30 → 19:24 | 19:24 → 19:35 | 12:40 |
| Sat, 12 Sep | 06:28 | 19:05 | 18:28 → 19:22 | 19:22 → 19:33 | 12:37 |
| Sun, 13 Sep | 06:29 | 19:03 | 18:27 → 19:20 | 19:20 → 19:31 | 12:34 |
| Mon, 14 Sep | 06:30 | 19:02 | 18:25 → 19:19 | 19:19 → 19:30 | 12:31 |
| Tue, 15 Sep | 06:31 | 19:00 | 18:23 → 19:17 | 19:17 → 19:28 | 12:29 |
| Wed, 16 Sep | 06:32 | 18:58 | 18:21 → 19:15 | 19:15 → 19:26 | 12:26 |
| Thu, 17 Sep | 06:33 | 18:56 | 18:20 → 19:13 | 19:13 → 19:24 | 12:23 |
Best evening golden hour this week
Friday, 11 September
Longest evening golden window: 18:30 → 19:24. Block this slot on your calendar.
Next 30 days · expanded table
| Date | Sunrise | Golden (AM) | Solar noon | Golden (PM) | Sunset | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 11 Sep | 06:27 | 06:09 → 07:03 | 12:47 | 18:30 → 19:24 | 19:07 | 12:40 |
| Sat, 12 Sep | 06:28 | 06:10 → 07:04 | 12:46 | 18:28 → 19:22 | 19:05 | 12:37 |
| Sun, 13 Sep | 06:29 | 06:11 → 07:05 | 12:46 | 18:27 → 19:20 | 19:03 | 12:34 |
| Mon, 14 Sep | 06:30 | 06:13 → 07:06 | 12:46 | 18:25 → 19:19 | 19:02 | 12:31 |
| Tue, 15 Sep | 06:31 | 06:14 → 07:07 | 12:45 | 18:23 → 19:17 | 19:00 | 12:29 |
| Wed, 16 Sep | 06:32 | 06:15 → 07:08 | 12:45 | 18:21 → 19:15 | 18:58 | 12:26 |
| Thu, 17 Sep | 06:33 | 06:16 → 07:09 | 12:45 | 18:20 → 19:13 | 18:56 | 12:23 |
| Fri, 18 Sep | 06:34 | 06:17 → 07:10 | 12:44 | 18:18 → 19:12 | 18:55 | 12:20 |
| Sat, 19 Sep | 06:35 | 06:18 → 07:12 | 12:44 | 18:16 → 19:10 | 18:53 | 12:18 |
| Sun, 20 Sep | 06:36 | 06:19 → 07:13 | 12:44 | 18:14 → 19:08 | 18:51 | 12:15 |
| Mon, 21 Sep | 06:37 | 06:20 → 07:14 | 12:43 | 18:13 → 19:06 | 18:49 | 12:12 |
| Tue, 22 Sep | 06:38 | 06:21 → 07:15 | 12:43 | 18:11 → 19:05 | 18:48 | 12:09 |
| Wed, 23 Sep | 06:39 | 06:22 → 07:16 | 12:42 | 18:09 → 19:03 | 18:46 | 12:06 |
| Thu, 24 Sep | 06:40 | 06:23 → 07:17 | 12:42 | 18:07 → 19:01 | 18:44 | 12:04 |
| Fri, 25 Sep | 06:41 | 06:24 → 07:18 | 12:42 | 18:06 → 18:59 | 18:42 | 12:01 |
| Sat, 26 Sep | 06:42 | 06:25 → 07:19 | 12:41 | 18:04 → 18:58 | 18:41 | 11:58 |
| Sun, 27 Sep | 06:43 | 06:26 → 07:20 | 12:41 | 18:02 → 18:56 | 18:39 | 11:55 |
| Mon, 28 Sep | 06:44 | 06:27 → 07:21 | 12:41 | 18:00 → 18:54 | 18:37 | 11:52 |
| Tue, 29 Sep | 06:45 | 06:28 → 07:22 | 12:40 | 17:59 → 18:52 | 18:35 | 11:50 |
| Wed, 30 Sep | 06:46 | 06:29 → 07:23 | 12:40 | 17:57 → 18:51 | 18:34 | 11:47 |
| Thu, 1 Oct | 06:47 | 06:30 → 07:24 | 12:40 | 17:55 → 18:49 | 18:32 | 11:44 |
| Fri, 2 Oct | 06:48 | 06:31 → 07:25 | 12:39 | 17:53 → 18:47 | 18:30 | 11:41 |
| Sat, 3 Oct | 06:50 | 06:33 → 07:27 | 12:39 | 17:52 → 18:46 | 18:29 | 11:39 |
| Sun, 4 Oct | 06:51 | 06:34 → 07:28 | 12:39 | 17:50 → 18:44 | 18:27 | 11:36 |
| Mon, 5 Oct | 06:52 | 06:35 → 07:29 | 12:39 | 17:48 → 18:42 | 18:25 | 11:33 |
| Tue, 6 Oct | 06:53 | 06:36 → 07:30 | 12:38 | 17:46 → 18:41 | 18:24 | 11:30 |
| Wed, 7 Oct | 06:54 | 06:37 → 07:31 | 12:38 | 17:45 → 18:39 | 18:22 | 11:27 |
| Thu, 8 Oct | 06:55 | 06:38 → 07:32 | 12:38 | 17:43 → 18:37 | 18:20 | 11:25 |
| Fri, 9 Oct | 06:56 | 06:39 → 07:33 | 12:37 | 17:41 → 18:36 | 18:19 | 11:22 |
| Sat, 10 Oct | 06:57 | 06:40 → 07:35 | 12:37 | 17:39 → 18:34 | 18:17 | 11:19 |
Frequently asked
- What time is golden hour in Chicago today?
- The evening golden hour begins at 18:30 and lasts until 19:24 local time. Morning golden hour is from 06:09 to 07:03.
- When does the sun rise and set in Chicago?
- Today the sun rises at 06:27 and sets at 19:07. Solar noon — the moment the sun is highest — is at 12:47.
- What's the moon phase in Chicago tonight?
- 🌑 New Moon — 0% illuminated. Moonrise at 07:10, moonset at 19:30.
- 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.