North America
Chicago Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour | United States
See today’s sunrise, sunset, dawn, dusk, and golden hour times in Chicago, United States, with a monthly daylight reference and photography-friendly context.
Local date
March 14, 2026
Time zone
CDT
Updated hourly
America/Chicago
Today’s solar times in Chicago
Dawn
6:37 AM
Sunrise
7:05 AM
Morning golden hour ends
7:42 AM
Evening golden hour starts
6:19 PM
Sunset
6:56 PM
Dusk
7:24 PM
What these times mean
Chicago changes quickly through the year. Dawn marks first usable twilight, sunrise starts direct daylight, golden hour adds softer low-angle light, sunset ends direct sunlight, and dusk closes civil twilight.
Monthly daylight reference
Use this month-by-month table to compare typical daylight windows in Chicago throughout the current year.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:16 AM | 4:45 PM | 9h 28m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 5:24 PM | 10h 37m |
| March | 7:03 AM | 6:57 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:11 AM | 7:31 PM | 13h 20m |
| May | 5:31 AM | 8:04 PM | 14h 33m |
| June | 5:16 AM | 8:28 PM | 15h 12m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 8:25 PM | 14h 56m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 7:52 PM | 13h 53m |
| September | 6:31 AM | 7:02 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 6:11 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:41 AM | 4:31 PM | 9h 50m |
| December | 7:12 AM | 4:21 PM | 9h 09m |
Frequently asked questions
What time is sunrise and sunset in Chicago today?
The live cards above show today’s local sunrise and sunset times for Chicago, United States, based on the city’s coordinates and time zone.
When is golden hour in Chicago?
This page shows the end of morning golden hour and the start of evening golden hour so photographers can plan softer low-angle light.
Why do dawn and dusk change during the year in Chicago?
Dawn and dusk shift because Earth’s tilt changes the Sun’s path across the sky, which changes daylight length and twilight duration through the seasons.
Related city pages
Plan beyond a single city
Use SolarWatch to follow sun position, shadows, and golden hour windows beyond Chicago, with widgets and planning tools for photographers and outdoor routines.
