Plan photos in the best natural light. Enter a location and date to get the morning and evening golden hour and blue hour, plus sunrise, sunset and a 14-day planner, all calculated from the Sun's position in your browser.
Last updated:
°
North positive, south negative
°
East positive, west negative
Enter your values to see the result.
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How to use the Golden Hour Calculator
Enter latitude and longitude, pick a city, or press Use my location.
Choose the date of your shoot.
Select the time zone of the location.
Read the golden and blue hour windows for morning and evening.
Check the 14-day table to plan ahead, or download it as CSV.
How golden and blue hour are defined
Phase
Sun altitude
Light
Daylight
above +6°
Harder, whiter light with shorter shadows
Golden hour
+6° to −4°
Warm, soft, directional; includes sunrise or sunset
Sunrise / sunset
−0.833°
Upper edge of the Sun on the horizon (with refraction)
Blue hour
−4° to −6°
No direct sun, deep blue sky, even light
Civil twilight ends
−6°
Bright stars and planets become visible
Nautical / astronomical twilight
−6° to −18°
Sky darkens to full night
The calculator uses the solar position equations published by NOAA to find the Sun's altitude through the day, then locates the moments it crosses each threshold. Times are typically accurate to within a minute; local terrain such as mountains or tall buildings can hide the Sun earlier than the flat-horizon calculation.
Golden hour length by latitude
The Sun's path meets the horizon steeply near the equator and at a shallow angle near the poles, so the same 10° band of altitude passes faster or slower. Typical evening golden hour lengths with the −4° to +6° definition:
Latitude
Example
Around the equinoxes
Around the June solstice
0°
Quito, Singapore
about 40 min
about 44 min
35° N
Tokyo, Los Angeles
about 49 min
about 56 min
51° N
London
about 64 min
about 81 min
60° N
Oslo, Helsinki
about 80 min
about 2 h 10 min
Tips: arrive before the golden hour starts to set up, shoot with the Sun behind or beside your subject, and stay for the blue hour when city lights and the sky are in balance.
Frequently asked questions
What is the golden hour?
The golden hour is the period shortly after sunrise and before sunset when the Sun is low, roughly between 6° above and 4° below the horizon. Sunlight passes through more atmosphere, so it is warm, soft and directional, with long shadows that photographers love.
What is the blue hour?
The blue hour is the deep twilight when the Sun is about 4° to 6° below the horizon. There is no direct sunlight, and the sky turns a saturated blue that balances well with city lights. It comes before the morning golden hour and after the evening one.
How long does the golden hour last?
It depends on latitude and season. Near the equator it lasts only about 20–30 minutes because the Sun rises and sets steeply. At mid-latitudes it is typically 40–60 minutes, and in high-latitude summers it can last for hours.
Why do different apps give different golden hour times?
There is no single official definition. Some apps use 0° to 6°, others −4° to +6°, and some simply say 'the hour after sunrise'. This calculator uses −4° to +6° for golden hour and −6° to −4° for blue hour, and shows exactly which thresholds it uses.
How is the golden hour calculated?
The calculator computes the Sun's altitude for your coordinates through the day using the NOAA solar position equations, then finds the exact moments the altitude crosses +6°, −4° and −6°, in the same way libraries such as SunCalc do.
Does weather affect golden hour?
The times depend only on the Sun's position, but clouds strongly change the light. Thin, high clouds can make sunsets spectacular, while a thick overcast removes direct golden light.
Is there always a golden hour?
No. Near the poles the Sun may stay above 6° all day in summer or never rise in winter. The calculator tells you when that happens.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.