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Sunrise & Sunset Calculator — Golden Hour & Blue Hour Times

Find sunrise, sunset, golden hour, and blue hour times for any location and date

Sunrise

04:45

Sunset

20:56

Day Length

16h 11m

Noon

12:51

Sunrise

04:45

Sunset

20:56

Day Length

16h 11m

Solar Noon

12:51

Frequently Asked Questions

Q

What is golden hour and when does it occur?

Golden hour is the period shortly after sunrise and before sunset when the sun is low on the horizon (0–6 degrees above), producing warm, soft, golden-toned light. It typically lasts 20–60 minutes, depending on your latitude. Near the equator it is shorter (20–30 min); at higher latitudes like 60°N it can last over an hour.

  • Morning golden hour: starts at sunrise, lasts 20–60 minutes
  • Evening golden hour: ends at sunset, lasts 20–60 minutes
  • Near the equator: 20–30 minutes (sun rises/sets steeply)
  • Mid-latitudes (40–50°): 40–60 minutes
  • High latitudes (60°+): 1–2 hours (sun stays low longer)
Light WindowSun PositionDurationBest For
Blue Hour (morning)4–6° below horizon20–40 minCityscapes, moody landscapes
Golden Hour (morning)0–6° above horizon20–60 minPortraits, landscapes, nature
Golden Hour (evening)6–0° above horizon20–60 minMost popular photography
Blue Hour (evening)4–6° below horizon20–40 minArchitecture, long exposure
Q

What is blue hour and how is it different from golden hour?

Blue hour occurs when the sun is 4–6 degrees below the horizon—just before sunrise and just after sunset. The sky turns a deep, saturated blue while artificial lights are already on. It lasts about 20–40 minutes and produces very different light from golden hour: cool, diffused, and evenly lit rather than warm and directional.

  • Occurs before sunrise (morning) and after sunset (evening)
  • Sun is 4–6° below the horizon
  • Lasts approximately 20–40 minutes
  • Cool, blue-toned light with no harsh shadows
  • Best for cityscapes: artificial lights + blue sky create striking contrast
Q

How does latitude affect sunrise and sunset times?

Latitude dramatically affects day length and sun angles. At the equator, days are consistently 12 hours year-round with fast sunrise/sunset transitions. At 60°N (Anchorage, Helsinki), summer days reach 18–22 hours while winter days shrink to 5–6 hours. Higher latitudes also create longer golden/blue hours because the sun crosses the horizon at a shallow angle.

  • Equator (0°): ~12h daylight year-round, sunrise/sunset in 2–3 minutes
  • 30° latitude: 10–14h daylight depending on season
  • 50° latitude: 8–16h daylight, golden hour can last 45–90 minutes
  • 60° latitude: 6–18h daylight, midnight sun possible in summer
  • Arctic/Antarctic circles: 24h daylight or darkness at solstices
Q

How do I calculate sunrise time for a specific location?

Sunrise time depends on latitude, longitude, date, and time zone. The calculation uses solar declination (the angle of the Earth relative to the sun, which changes with seasons) and the hour angle formula. For a quick estimate: sunrise occurs when the hour angle equals arccos(-tan(lat) × tan(declination)). Our calculator handles this automatically for any location.

  • Solar declination changes from +23.44° (June solstice) to −23.44° (December)
  • Hour angle determines how many hours before/after solar noon sunrise occurs
  • Atmospheric refraction adds ~3–4 minutes: sun appears before it geometrically rises
  • Longitude within a time zone shifts times: east = earlier, west = later
  • Mountains and buildings can delay visible sunrise by 5–20 minutes
Q

What is the best time of year for photography golden hour?

In mid-latitudes, the longest and most dramatic golden hours occur near the solstices—late June and late December. The equinoxes (March and September) produce the most balanced light with a moderate golden hour of 40–50 minutes. Winter golden hours have warmer, more orange tones, while summer ones are softer and more yellow.

  • Summer solstice: longest golden hour at high latitudes (60+ min)
  • Winter solstice: warmest tones, sun stays very low all day at high latitudes
  • Equinoxes: balanced 40–50 min golden hours, most predictable light
  • Partly cloudy skies produce the most dramatic golden hour colors
  • Coastal locations: reflected water light extends golden hour effects

Example Calculations

1Paris, France — June 21 (Summer Solstice)

Inputs

LocationParis (48.86°N, 2.35°E)
DateJune 21, 2026
UTC OffsetUTC+1 (CET)

Result

Sunrise04:45
Sunset20:56
Day Length16h 11m
Solar Noon12:51
Morning Golden Hour04:45–05:45
Evening Golden Hour19:56–20:56

Paris at latitude 48.86°N on the summer solstice has 16+ hours of daylight. Sunrise at 04:45 and sunset at 20:56. The low-angle sun at this latitude produces a generous 1-hour golden hour window at each end of the day.

2Tokyo, Japan — March 20 (Spring Equinox)

Inputs

LocationTokyo (35.68°N, 139.65°E)
DateMarch 20, 2026
UTC OffsetUTC+9 (JST)

Result

Sunrise05:40
Sunset17:42
Day Length12h 2m
Solar Noon11:41
Morning Golden Hour05:40–06:40
Evening Golden Hour16:42–17:42

Near the equinox, Tokyo gets almost exactly 12 hours of daylight. Sunrise at 05:40 and sunset at 17:42 JST. The moderate latitude provides a solid 40–60 minute golden hour window for photography.

Formulas Used

Solar Declination

δ = arcsin(0.39795 × cos(0.98563 × (N – 173)))

Calculates the angle of the sun above or below the celestial equator, which varies from +23.44° (June) to −23.44° (December).

Where:

δ= Solar declination angle in degrees
N= Day of year (1–365)
173= Approximate day of summer solstice

Hour Angle at Sunrise/Sunset

HA = arccos((cos(90.833°) – sin(φ) × sin(δ)) / (cos(φ) × cos(δ)))

The angular distance of the sun from the meridian at the moment of sunrise or sunset, accounting for atmospheric refraction.

Where:

HA= Hour angle in degrees (divide by 15 for hours)
φ= Observer latitude in degrees
δ= Solar declination in degrees
90.833°= Zenith angle corrected for refraction and solar disk radius

Sunrise and Sunset Time

Sunrise = Solar Noon – HA/15 ; Sunset = Solar Noon + HA/15

Converts the hour angle to local time by offsetting from solar noon.

Where:

Solar Noon= 12:00 UTC adjusted for longitude and time zone
HA/15= Hour angle converted from degrees to hours (15° per hour)

How to Use Sunrise and Sunset Times for Travel Photography

1

Planning Around Golden and Blue Hours

The quality of natural light changes dramatically throughout the day, but the most prized windows for photography are golden hour and blue hour. Golden hour occurs when the sun is 0–6 degrees above the horizon, producing warm, directional light that flatters every subject. Blue hour—when the sun is 4–6 degrees below—creates cool, diffused light with no harsh shadows.

For travel photography, knowing the exact timing of these windows at your destination lets you plan your shooting schedule. In Paris at latitude 48.9°, the June summer solstice golden hour lasts over an hour because the sun crosses the horizon at a shallow angle. At the equator, the transition from day to night takes only 20–30 minutes, so you need to be ready with your camera already set up.

Approximate sunrise/sunset times at the summer solstice (local standard time)
CitySummer SunriseSummer SunsetSummer Day Length
Singapore (1°N)06:5919:1212h 13m
Tokyo (35°N)04:2519:0114h 36m
Paris (49°N)05:4721:5816h 11m
Reykjavik (64°N)02:5500:0421h 09m
2

The Science Behind Sunrise Calculations

Sunrise and sunset times are calculated using two key astronomical values: solar declination and the hour angle. Solar declination—the angle of the sun relative to the equatorial plane—swings from +23.44° in June to −23.44° in December, creating seasons. The hour angle formula then determines how many hours before and after solar noon the sun crosses the horizon at your latitude.

Atmospheric refraction adds a few minutes to visible sunrise: light bends around the Earth's atmosphere, making the sun appear above the horizon before it geometrically is. Standard calculations use a zenith angle of 90.833° (instead of 90°) to account for this refraction plus the sun's apparent disk radius of 0.27°. Mountains, tall buildings, and local terrain can further shift the effective sunrise/sunset by 5–20 minutes.

  • Solar declination swings ±23.44° between solstices, driving seasonal changes
  • Atmospheric refraction extends sunrise by about 3–4 minutes beyond geometric
  • Longitude within a time zone shifts sunrise: 1 degree = 4 minutes earlier or later
  • Higher latitude = more extreme seasonal variation in day length
  • The equinoxes (March 20, Sept 22) give nearly 12 hours of daylight everywhere
  • At the Arctic/Antarctic circles, the sun never sets/rises at the solstices

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Last Updated: Mar 25, 2026

This calculator is provided for informational and educational purposes only. Results are estimates and should not be considered professional financial, medical, legal, or other advice. Always consult a qualified professional before making important decisions. UseCalcPro is not responsible for any actions taken based on calculator results.

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