Sunrise / Sunset - Be at the Right Place at the Right Time

 

Planning is most effective when done in advance.  This saying is very appropriate for photography - the chart below can be a useful tool to help us plan our sunrise/ sunset photography by allowing us to be in the right place at the right time.

The column for ‘Sunrise/ Sunset Time’ is self explanatory.  To use the ‘Sunrise/ Sunset Bearing’ column, align the red needle with zero degrees on the compass.  The bearings shown below will point to the spot where the sun will rise/ set.

Note that this chart has been designed specifically for central Iowa, but even if you travel a couple of hundred miles, the error will only be a couple of degrees.

 

Date

Sunrise Time

Sunrise   Bearing

Sunset    Time

Sunset   Bearing

Jan. 1

 7:38 a.m. CST

115E

  4:48 p.m. CST

  233E

  Feb. 1

  7:22 a.m. CST

  107E

 5:23 p.m. CST

  241E

  Mar. 1

  6:44 a.m. CST

94E

5:59 p.m. CST

254E

 Apr. 1

5:51 a.m. CST

 76E

 6:34 p.m. CST

273E

 May. 1

 6:04 a.m. CDT

 61E

 8:08 p.m. CDT

287E

 June 1

5:35 a.m. CDT

 53E

8:38 p.m. CDT

 296E

 July 1

 5:36 a.m. CDT

 51E

8:49 p.m. CDT

297E

 Aug. 1

6:02 a.m. CDT

 58E

8:29 p.m. CDT

290E

 Sept. 1

 6:34 a.m. CDT

 72E

 7:44 p.m. CDT

 276E

 Oct. 1

 7:06 a.m. CDT

88E

6:50 p.m. CDT

 259E

 Nov. 1

 6:42 a.m. CST

 104E

 5:02 p.m. CST

 244E

 Dec. 1

 7:19 a.m. CST

 114E

 4:38 p.m. CST

 235E

 

Table is based on a Central Iowa location.  Compass bearings refer to magnetic North.