Sunrise Sunset Calculator
Get sunrise and sunset, solar noon, day length, every twilight phase and the golden and blue hours for any city or coordinates on any date. It uses the NOAA solar position algorithm and runs entirely in your browser.
North latitude and east longitude are positive; south and west are negative (e.g. New York 40.7128, −74.006).
Morning
Evening
Month table
How to use the Sunrise Sunset Calculator
- Choose a city from the list, press Use my location, or type a latitude and longitude (north and east are positive).
- Pick a date. Today is selected by default.
- Check the time zone. It is set automatically for listed cities; for custom coordinates pick the right zone or enter a UTC offset.
- Press Calculate to see sunrise, sunset, twilight, golden hour and blue hour, plus the sun altitude chart.
- Scroll to the month table to plan ahead, and download it as a CSV file if you need it.
How sunrise and sunset are calculated
This calculator follows the solar position equations published by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which are based on Jean Meeus' Astronomical Algorithms. For each date it works out the sun's declination (how far north or south of the equator it is) and the equation of time (how far sundial time runs ahead of or behind clock time). From these and your latitude and longitude it finds:
- Solar noon = 12:00 − 4 minutes × longitude − equation of time (in UTC), then converted to the local time zone.
- Hour angle for an altitude h: cos H = (sin h − sin φ · sin δ) / (cos φ · cos δ), where φ is latitude and δ is declination.
- Sunrise / sunset = solar noon ∓ 4 minutes × H, with h = −0.833° to allow for refraction and the sun's radius. Each time is refined iteratively because the sun moves during the day.
When the cosine is greater than 1 the sun never climbs to that altitude (polar night); when it is less than −1 the sun never sinks below it (midnight sun). Results are typically within a minute of official almanac times; local terrain, elevation and unusual weather can shift what you actually see by a few minutes.
Twilight, golden hour and blue hour defined
| Phase | Sun's altitude | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Day | above −0.833° | Sun visible above the horizon |
| Golden hour | +6° to −4° | Low, warm, soft light with long shadows |
| Civil twilight | 0° to −6° | Bright enough to be outdoors without lights; brightest planets visible |
| Blue hour | −4° to −6° | Deep blue sky, city lights on, ideal for cityscapes |
| Nautical twilight | −6° to −12° | Horizon at sea fades; navigators could still take star sightings |
| Astronomical twilight | −12° to −18° | Sky looks dark, but faint objects are still washed out |
| Night | below −18° | Fully dark sky for astronomy |
Photographers use slightly different golden and blue hour limits; the ones above are the most common. Near the equator the sun drops steeply, so twilight and golden hour are short (around 20–25 minutes). At high latitudes in summer the sun skims the horizon and golden hour can last for hours.
Examples and seasonal patterns
- London, 21 June 2024: sunrise 04:43, sunset 21:22 (BST), about 16 h 38 min of daylight. On 21 December the day is only about 7 h 50 min.
- New York, 21 December 2024: sunrise 07:16, sunset 16:32 (EST), about 9 h 15 min of daylight.
- Tromsø, Norway: by the standard sunrise definition the sun does not set from about 18 May to 25 July, and does not rise from about 27 November to 14 January.
- Equinoxes: around 20 March and 22–23 September day and night are nearly equal everywhere, but day is slightly longer than 12 hours because of refraction and the sun's size.
The earliest sunset of the year does not fall on the shortest day: in the Northern Hemisphere it comes about two weeks before the December solstice and the latest sunrise about two weeks after, because of the equation of time. To compare clock times across places, try the World Clock or the Time Zone Converter.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate are these sunrise and sunset times?
The calculator uses the NOAA solar position equations, which are accurate to within about a minute for locations between the polar circles. Real sunrise can differ by a minute or two because of air temperature and pressure changing atmospheric refraction, and because hills, buildings or your altitude change the visible horizon.
What is the definition of sunrise and sunset?
Sunrise and sunset are the moments when the top edge of the sun touches the horizon. Because of atmospheric refraction (about 34 arcminutes) and the sun's radius (about 16 arcminutes), this happens when the sun's centre is 0.833° below the geometric horizon.
What is golden hour?
Golden hour is the period shortly after sunrise and before sunset when the sun is low, giving warm, soft, directional light that photographers love. This tool defines it as the sun being between 4° below and 6° above the horizon. Near the equator it lasts under an hour; at high latitudes it can last much longer.
What is blue hour?
Blue hour is the part of twilight when the sun is between 6° and 4° below the horizon. The sky turns a deep blue while city lights are already on, which is ideal for cityscape and night photography. It happens before sunrise and after sunset and usually lasts 10 to 20 minutes.
What is the difference between civil, nautical and astronomical twilight?
They are defined by how far the sun's centre is below the horizon: civil twilight ends at 6° (outdoor activities possible without lights), nautical twilight at 12° (horizon at sea no longer visible) and astronomical twilight at 18° (the sky is fully dark for astronomy).
Why is solar noon not at 12:00?
Solar noon is when the sun is highest in the sky. It depends on your longitude within your time zone, daylight saving time and the equation of time, a seasonal shift of up to about 16 minutes caused by Earth's tilted, elliptical orbit.
What happens near the poles?
Above the Arctic Circle and below the Antarctic Circle the sun may stay above the horizon all day (midnight sun) or below it all day (polar night). The calculator shows these days clearly instead of a sunrise or sunset time, and the twilight phases may also last all night or not occur.