Golden Hour City

Solar almanac · 2026-11-01 · United States

Golden hour in Chicago, United States

41.8781° N
87.6298° W
America/Chicago

Times shown in local time for Chicago (America/Chicago).

Golden hour & blue hour

WindowStartsEnds
Blue hour (morning)05:2105:54
Golden hour (morning)06:2307:02
Golden hour (evening)16:0416:44
Blue hour (evening)17:1317:46

Light profile · calculated

Golden hour in Chicago through the year

Midsummer
42 min
Equinox
37 min
Midwinter
45 min

Length of the evening golden-hour window.

Chicago lies at 41.88° N, in the mid-latitudes, where the seasons reshape the light noticeably. Its longest measured day falls on Thu 18 June 2026 with 15h 14m of daylight, and its shortest on Fri 18 December 2026 with 9h 08m — a difference of 6h 06m between the two extremes.

Evening golden hour in Chicago runs for roughly 42 minutes at the height of summer, 37 minutes around the March equinox and 45 minutes at midwinter. The warm window is actually widest in the colder months, which makes winter evenings unusually forgiving here.

The sun sets toward 303° WNW in late June and toward 239° WSW in late December, a shift of about 65° in where the last light lands — worth checking before committing to a west-facing viewpoint. In Chicago, the sky reaches full darkness between evening and morning twilight year-round.

Field notes for photographers

Where to shoot golden hour in Chicago

Chicago’s eastern lakefront offers a clean horizon, while parks and promontories pull the full skyline into view. Glass towers catch direct color and Lake Michigan adds reflections, mist and strong negative space.

  1. 01

    North Avenue Beach

    Best for sunrise

    Shoot near the shoreline so waves lead toward the skyline’s lake-facing towers.

    Sun rises
    109° ESE
    Sun sets
    251° WSW
  2. 02

    Adler Planetarium Point

    Best for sunset

    Use the peninsula edge to keep the skyline in a single uninterrupted row.

    Sun rises
    109° ESE
    Sun sets
    251° WSW
  3. 03

    Cloud Gate

    Best for both

    Work close to the sculpture to curve the skyline and sky across its reflective surface.

    Sun rises
    109° ESE
    Sun sets
    251° WSW

Seasonal light. Summer offers long lakefront evenings, while winter light is brief and low, often giving the façades stronger modeling.

Today’s solar record

−3 min/day

Sunrise
06:23

rises at 109° ESE

Sunset
16:44

sets at 251° WSW

Solar noon
11:34
Day length
10h 21m

Evening golden hour starts at 16:04

Add to calendar

Solar trajectory

Maximum 34°
06:2334° at 11:3416:44
East · sunriseHighest point of the sun today: 34° above the horizon. The shaded band near the horizon is golden-hour light.West · sunset

Twenty-four hours of light

06:23Sunrise11:34Solar noon16:44Sunset
NightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Next 7 days

DateSunriseSunsetDay length
2026-11-0106:2316:4410h 21m
2026-11-0206:2416:4310h 19m
2026-11-0306:2516:4210h 17m
2026-11-0406:2616:4010h 14m
2026-11-0506:2716:3910h 12m
2026-11-0606:2916:3810h 09m
2026-11-0706:3016:3710h 07m

Annual light rhythm · Chicago

9h 09m—15h 13m
JFMAMJJASOND
Longest days in June (15h 13m), shortest in December (9h 09m).

Questions

When is golden hour in Chicago today?
Evening golden hour in Chicago starts at 16:04 and ends at sunset, 16:44. Morning golden hour runs from sunrise, 06:23, until 07:02 local time (America/Chicago).
How long does golden hour last in Chicago?
Evening golden hour in Chicago runs from 16:04 to 16:44, and morning golden hour from 06:23 to 07:02.
When is blue hour in Chicago?
Morning blue hour in Chicago begins at 05:21, before sunrise. Evening blue hour begins at 17:13, just after sunset.
What time is sunrise in Chicago today?
Sunrise in Chicago is at 06:23 local time (America/Chicago), rising toward 109° ESE.
What time is sunset in Chicago today?
Sunset in Chicago is at 16:44 local time (America/Chicago), setting toward 251° WSW.
How long is the day in Chicago?
Chicago has 10h 21m of daylight today.

Other views for Chicago

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