Sunrise Sunset Calculator
Sunrise Sunset Calculator
Select a Location and Date
Choose a city from the dropdown (or enter custom coordinates) and pick a date to see precise sunrise, sunset, twilight, and golden hour times.
Precise solar times for any location and date using the NOAA / Jean Meeus algorithm
The Sunrise Sunset Calculator gives you precise solar event times for any location on Earth and any date — past, present, or future. Whether you are a photographer chasing the perfect golden hour, a gardener planning around daylight, a traveler scheduling an outdoor activity, or simply curious about today's sunrise, this tool provides all the information you need in one place. Using the gold-standard Jean Meeus astronomical algorithm (the same method used by NOAA and the US Naval Observatory), the calculator delivers sunrise and sunset times accurate to within one to two minutes for most latitudes. It goes beyond basic sunrise and sunset to include all three twilight phases — civil, nautical, and astronomical — as well as solar noon, peak sun altitude, golden hour windows, and blue hour windows. A color-coded 24-hour timeline bar shows every phase of the day at a glance, and a compass rose visualizes the exact compass bearing where the sun rises and sets. With a built-in database of 60+ major world cities — from New York and London to Tokyo, Sydney, Mumbai, and Anchorage — you can look up times for most locations instantly. For any location not in the list, simply select 'Custom' and enter your latitude, longitude, and UTC offset manually. Daylight Saving Time is detected automatically for cities that observe it, and you can override the setting for custom coordinates. The calculator also includes photography-specific features: morning and evening golden hour windows (when the sun is within 6° of the horizon, producing warm, low-angle, golden light ideal for portraits, landscapes, and architecture) and blue hour windows (when the sun is 4–6° below the horizon, casting a soft, diffuse blue tone beloved by street and cityscape photographers). Color temperature context is provided for each phase so you know what to expect from the light quality. For date presets, use the quick-select buttons to jump to today, tomorrow, or the summer and winter solstices — the two dates with the longest and shortest days of the year. A 'day length change' figure tells you whether today's daylight is growing or shrinking versus yesterday, so you can track the progress of the seasons over time. Season context and the number of days until the next solstice or equinox are also displayed for situational awareness. All calculations run entirely client-side in your browser — no server required, no data sent anywhere. The full year can be exported as a CSV file for spreadsheet analysis or professional planning.
Understanding Sunrise, Sunset, and Twilight
What Are Sunrise and Sunset?
Sunrise is defined as the moment the upper limb of the sun crosses the geometric horizon in the morning. Sunset is the reverse: the upper limb disappearing below the horizon in the evening. Because of atmospheric refraction (which bends sunlight around the Earth's curvature by roughly 34 arcminutes) and the angular radius of the sun's disk (about 16 arcminutes), the official definition uses a solar zenith angle of 90°50' (90.833°) rather than exactly 90°. This means you actually see the sun slightly before it would geometrically rise, and it remains visible slightly longer at sunset than pure geometry predicts. The exact times also depend on your elevation above sea level — on mountaintops, sunrise is slightly earlier and sunset slightly later than at sea level.
How Are Solar Times Calculated?
This calculator implements the Jean Meeus algorithm from 'Astronomical Algorithms' (2nd ed.), adapted by NOAA. The process begins by converting the calendar date to a Julian Day Number, then computing a Julian Century value relative to the J2000.0 epoch. From this, the algorithm derives the sun's mean longitude, mean anomaly, equation of center, true longitude, and apparent longitude. The obliquity of the ecliptic yields the sun's declination — the angle between the sun's rays and the Earth's equatorial plane. The equation of time (which accounts for the difference between solar noon and clock noon) is also computed. Combining declination, latitude, and the target zenith angle for each event type (90.833° for sunrise/sunset, 96° for civil twilight, 102° for nautical, 108° for astronomical) gives the hour angle, which is converted to local time via the UTC offset.
Why Do Solar Times Matter?
Sunrise and sunset times affect nearly every area of outdoor life. Photographers rely on golden hour and blue hour windows to capture warm or moody light that is impossible to replicate artificially. Gardeners and farmers need accurate day length data to understand photoperiodism — how plants respond to the ratio of daylight to darkness, which triggers flowering, fruiting, and dormancy. Pilots, mariners, and hikers depend on civil and nautical twilight for safe low-light navigation. Astronomers need accurate astronomical twilight times to know when the sky is dark enough for observations. Even simple daily planning — knowing when it gets dark, when the morning light arrives, or how many daylight hours a destination offers in winter — benefits from precise solar time calculations.
Accuracy and Limitations
The Jean Meeus algorithm is accurate to within one to two minutes for latitudes between 0° and 60° for years near the present epoch. Accuracy decreases at higher latitudes (above 60°) because the sun's path becomes very shallow relative to the horizon, and small errors in the angle calculation produce larger time errors. At extreme latitudes (above 80°), results may be off by five minutes or more. Atmospheric conditions also matter: on very hot days or during temperature inversions, refraction can be greater than the standard 34 arcminutes, causing actual sunrise to be slightly earlier or sunset slightly later than calculated. The calculator does not account for local terrain — mountains or tall buildings can block the geometric horizon and shift observed times by minutes or more.
Formulas
Calculates the hour angle (omega) of the Sun at sunrise or sunset, where lat is the observer's latitude, delta is the solar declination, and zenith is the solar zenith angle (90.833 degrees for standard sunrise/sunset, accounting for refraction and the Sun's semi-diameter).
Approximates the Sun's declination angle for day N of the year. The declination ranges from +23.44 degrees at the June solstice to -23.44 degrees at the December solstice, directly controlling day length at all latitudes.
The total hours of sunlight for a given latitude and solar declination. At the equinox (delta = 0), day length is exactly 12 hours everywhere. At the solstices, day length varies dramatically with latitude.
Corrects for the difference between solar noon and clock noon caused by Earth's elliptical orbit and axial tilt. The equation of time can shift solar noon by up to 16 minutes from 12:00 PM.
Reference Tables
Twilight Phase Definitions
| Phase | Sun Below Horizon | Zenith Angle | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Twilight | 0 to 6 degrees | 90.833 - 96 degrees | Enough light for outdoor activities without artificial lighting |
| Nautical Twilight | 6 to 12 degrees | 96 - 102 degrees | Horizon visible at sea; bright stars visible for navigation |
| Astronomical Twilight | 12 to 18 degrees | 102 - 108 degrees | Sky not fully dark; faint galaxies not yet observable |
| Night | Below 18 degrees | > 108 degrees | Sky is fully dark for astronomical observation |
Day Length at Key Latitudes (Summer Solstice)
| Location (Latitude) | Day Length | Sunrise | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equator (0 degrees) | 12h 7m | ~6:00 AM | ~6:07 PM |
| Miami (25.8 degrees N) | 13h 45m | ~6:30 AM | ~8:15 PM |
| New York (40.7 degrees N) | 15h 6m | ~5:25 AM | ~8:31 PM |
| London (51.5 degrees N) | 16h 38m | ~4:43 AM | ~9:21 PM |
| Stockholm (59.3 degrees N) | 18h 37m | ~3:31 AM | ~10:08 PM |
| Reykjavik (64.1 degrees N) | 21h 8m | ~2:55 AM | ~12:03 AM |
| North Cape (71.2 degrees N) | 24h 0m | Midnight Sun | Midnight Sun |
Worked Examples
Calculating Sunrise in New York on March 20 (Equinox)
Solar declination on March 20 (equinox): delta ~ 0 degrees
Hour angle: cos(omega) = -tan(40.71) x tan(0) + cos(90.833) / (cos(40.71) x cos(0))
cos(omega) = 0 + (-0.01449 / 0.7585) = -0.0191
omega = 91.09 degrees = 6.073 hours from solar noon
Solar noon in New York ~ 12:00 PM + equation of time correction (-7.5 min) + longitude correction
Sunrise = solar noon - 6.073 hours ~ 5:58 AM EDT
Finding Golden Hour for Photography in Paris
Calculate sunset time: declination = 23.44 degrees, latitude = 48.86 degrees
Sunset occurs when the Sun crosses the geometric horizon (zenith = 90.833 degrees)
For Paris on June 21, sunset ~ 9:58 PM CEST (UTC+2)
Golden hour begins when the Sun is 6 degrees above the horizon
At high latitudes in summer, the Sun's descent is shallow — golden hour lasts longer
Evening golden hour: approximately 8:50 PM to 9:58 PM CEST (68 minutes)
Day Length Change Through the Year in Sydney
Summer solstice (December 21): declination = -23.44 degrees (summer in Southern Hemisphere)
Day length = (2/15) x arccos(-tan(-33.87) x tan(-23.44)) = 14h 25m
Winter solstice (June 21): declination = +23.44 degrees
Day length = (2/15) x arccos(-tan(-33.87) x tan(23.44)) = 9h 54m
Difference: 14h 25m - 9h 54m = 4h 31m
How to Use This Calculator
Choose Your Location
Select a city from the dropdown to auto-fill latitude, longitude, and UTC offset. For a location not in the list, select 'Custom' and enter your decimal latitude (e.g. 40.7128) and longitude (e.g. -74.0060), then pick the correct UTC offset from the dropdown.
Set the Date
Use the calendar picker to choose any date — past, present, or future. You can also use the quick-preset buttons for Today, Tomorrow, Summer Solstice (longest day), or Winter Solstice (shortest day) to instantly jump to those key dates.
Review Solar Times and Timeline
Sunrise and sunset times appear with compass bearings (azimuth). Day length, solar noon, and the change versus yesterday are shown below. Scroll down for all twilight phases (civil, nautical, astronomical), the visual 24-hour color-coded timeline, and the compass rose showing where the sun rises and sets.
Use Photography Windows and Export
Check the Photography Windows card for morning and evening golden hour and blue hour start and end times. For annual planning, click 'Export Full Year CSV' to download a spreadsheet of sunrise and sunset times for every day of the selected year at your location.
Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate are the sunrise and sunset times?
The calculator uses the Jean Meeus algorithm (also used by NOAA and the US Naval Observatory) and is accurate to within one to two minutes for latitudes between 0° and 60° for dates within a few centuries of the present. At higher latitudes (above 60°) accuracy decreases because the sun's path angle becomes very shallow. Atmospheric refraction on the day — affected by temperature, pressure, and humidity — can also shift the actual observed time by one to five minutes compared to the calculated result. Local terrain such as mountains or tall buildings can further alter the observed horizon, causing additional differences.
What is civil, nautical, and astronomical twilight?
Twilight is divided into three phases based on how far the sun is below the horizon. Civil twilight begins when the sun is less than 6° below the horizon — there is enough natural light for most outdoor activities without artificial lighting. Nautical twilight spans from 6° to 12° below the horizon — the horizon is still visible at sea and bright stars are visible for navigation. Astronomical twilight spans from 12° to 18° below the horizon — the sky is not fully dark but conditions are good enough for many astronomical observations. Once the sun is more than 18° below the horizon, the sky reaches its darkest level and true night begins.
What is golden hour and why do photographers love it?
Golden hour is the period shortly after sunrise and shortly before sunset when the sun is within approximately 6° of the horizon. At this low angle, sunlight travels through a much thicker layer of atmosphere than at midday, scattering blue wavelengths and leaving warm amber and orange tones. This creates soft, directional light with long, gentle shadows that flatters portraits and gives landscapes dramatic depth. The color temperature during golden hour ranges from roughly 2,000 to 3,500 Kelvin — far warmer than the neutral 5,500–6,500K of midday sunlight. The exact duration varies by season and latitude, from under 20 minutes near the equinox at low latitudes to over an hour near the solstices at high latitudes.
What is blue hour and when does it occur?
Blue hour is the period of twilight when the sun is approximately 4° to 6° below the horizon — within the civil twilight zone. At this point the sky takes on a deep, even blue tone because the sun's light is scattered across the entire upper atmosphere and filtered of its warm wavelengths. Unlike golden hour, which only occurs above the horizon, blue hour occurs just before sunrise and just after sunset. It is prized by cityscape and street photographers because artificial lights are visible and balanced against the natural sky luminance, and the light is evenly diffused with no harsh shadows. Blue hour typically lasts 20 to 40 minutes depending on latitude and time of year.
Why does solar noon not occur at exactly 12:00 PM local time?
Solar noon is when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky (transiting the local meridian) — but this rarely coincides with 12:00 PM on the clock. Two factors shift solar noon. First, time zones cover wide geographic areas, so locations at the western edge of a time zone have a later solar noon than those at the eastern edge. Second, the 'equation of time' — a correction that accounts for Earth's elliptical orbit and its axial tilt — causes the sun to run 'fast' or 'slow' relative to a uniform clock, shifting solar noon by up to 16 minutes throughout the year. The combination of longitude offset and equation of time means solar noon can occur anywhere from roughly 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM local time depending on location and season.
What happens at extreme latitudes — midnight sun and polar night?
At latitudes above the Arctic Circle (66.5°N) or below the Antarctic Circle (66.5°S), the sun can remain above the horizon for 24 hours during summer — the phenomenon known as the midnight sun. Conversely, during winter at these latitudes, the sun does not rise at all, creating polar night. The calculator detects these conditions automatically. If the sun never sets on the selected date, it shows 'Midnight Sun' and reports 24h 0m 0s of daylight. If the sun never rises, it shows 'Polar Night' with 0h 0m 0s. These edge cases become more extreme closer to the poles — at the North and South Poles themselves, the sun is up for roughly six months and down for six months.