Sun & sky
Sun & Sky Times in Des Plaines, IL
Golden hour, blue hour, sunrise, sunset, twilight and moon times for Des Plaines, Illinois (42.03°, -87.90°). Everything updates to today and any date you choose, computed for the city's local time.
Sun, moon & horizon
12h 7m of daylight · computed locally with suncalc
Light alerts for Des Plaines, IL
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A closer look at the sky over Des Plaines
On September 23, 2026, the sun is above Des Plaines for 12h 7m — rising at 6:40 AM toward 90° E, reaching its high point at 12:43 PM, and setting at 6:46 PM toward 270° W. Those two horizon moments anchor the day's best light.
That gives an evening golden hour of 6:10 PM – 7:06 PM (about 56 min) followed by the cooler 7:06 PM – 7:14 PM blue hour once the sun is down; early risers get the same in reverse, with blue hour at 6:12 AM – 6:20 AM and a morning golden hour of 6:20 AM – 7:17 AM. Civil twilight finally ends — full dusk — at 7:14 PM.
After dark, the moon over Des Plaines is a waxing gibbous at 90% illumination, rising at 5:23 PM toward 107° ESE. The city sits at 42.0°N, which brings a wide seasonal swing in day length: through September the days are drawing in and the point where it sets is sliding back toward the south, so every one of these times drifts gradually from day to day. The planner above recomputes all of them for whatever date you select.
More for Des Plaines
Gear for the shot
- Mirrorless camera A capable body for low-light landscapes.
- 24–70mm zoom lens A versatile range for golden-hour scenes.
- Camera backpack Carry gear to the shot comfortably.
- Landscape photography book Sharpen your eye for light and composition.
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Sun & sky in nearby cities
Des Plaines — frequently asked
- When is golden hour today in Des Plaines?
- Des Plaines has a morning and an evening golden hour; today's exact times are shown above and you can step to any date.
- What time are sunrise and sunset in Des Plaines?
- Today's sunrise and sunset times for Des Plaines, with their horizon bearings, are listed in the Sun section above.
- What is the moon phase tonight in Des Plaines?
- Tonight's moon phase and illumination, plus moonrise and moonset, are shown in the Moon panel.