Sunrise & Sunset
Sun times for any place and date โ NOAA math, computed on your device.
About this calculator
Coordinates and a date in; sunrise, sunset, day length, civil dawn and dusk, and the golden hours out โ computed with the NOAA solar position algorithm entirely in your browser, accurate to a minute or two. Use the location button, a preset city, or type coordinates; your place is remembered on this device only, and polar day and night are reported honestly when a latitude and date produce them.
Reading the twilights
Sunrise and sunset mark the sun's upper edge crossing the horizon โ but the usable-light day is bracketed by civil twilight, the sun within 6ยฐ below the horizon, which is what "first light" and "last light" honestly mean (and roughly when headlight laws bite). Photographers' golden hour is the low sun's hour after sunrise and before sunset โ long shadows, warm light, unbookable by any other means. The times shift ~1โ2 minutes daily near the equinoxes and crawl near the solstices; the map's fine print is that day length depends almost entirely on latitude, which is why Reykjavรญk swings from 4-hour to 21-hour days while Singapore barely notices. Times display in your device's time zone โ checking a far city pairs naturally with the time zone converter, and tonight's other big sky event lives in the moon phase tool.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate are the calculated sun times?
Within a minute or two โ the NOAA algorithm plus standard atmospheric refraction. Local horizon (mountains, buildings) changes what you actually see more than the math errs.
What is civil twilight?
The sun within 6ยฐ below the horizon โ enough scattered light for outdoor activity without lamps. It's the honest 'first light' and 'last light', and roughly the legal headlights boundary in many places.
When is golden hour?
Roughly the hour after sunrise and before sunset, when the low sun gives warm, soft, long-shadowed light. The exact span stretches at high latitudes and shrinks near the equator.
Is my location sent anywhere?
No โ coordinates are used in-browser by the formula and remembered only on your device. The location button asks the browser once, and typing coordinates works without any permission at all.