Sunrise & Golden Hour

Golden hour light is warm, directional, and soft — ideal for portraits, landscapes, and architectural photography. Blue hour produces cool, even light with deep blue skies — perfect for cityscapes and moody compositions.

Solar Position Algorithm

This calculator uses the NOAA solar position algorithm to compute the sun's elevation throughout the day. It accounts for Earth's orbital eccentricity, axial tilt, and the equation of time to determine when the sun crosses specific elevation angles at your location.

Key Calculations

• Solar declination: The sun's angle relative to the celestial equator, varying from −23.44° (December solstice) to +23.44° (June solstice).
• Equation of time: A correction (up to ±16 minutes) for Earth's elliptical orbit and axial tilt.
• Hour angle: For a desired solar elevation h: cos(HA) = (sin(h) − sin(lat) × sin(δ)) / (cos(lat) × cos(δ))

Golden Hour

The golden hour occurs when the sun is between approximately 6° above and 4° below the horizon. At these low angles, sunlight travels through more atmosphere, scattering blue wavelengths and producing warm, golden tones. Shadows are long and soft, reducing contrast and creating flattering light.

Blue Hour

The blue hour occurs when the sun is between 4° and 6° below the horizon. Indirect sunlight illuminates the atmosphere with a deep blue hue. This period typically lasts 20–40 minutes and is ideal for cityscapes, seascapes, and scenes mixing artificial and natural light.

Atmospheric Refraction

Sunrise and sunset times account for atmospheric refraction (−0.833°), which bends sunlight around Earth's curve. This makes sunrise slightly earlier and sunset slightly later than the geometric calculation.

Photography Tips

• Arrive early: Be set up at least 15 minutes before golden hour starts to scout compositions.
• Light changes fast: During golden and blue hours, conditions shift rapidly. Bracket exposures and adjust white balance frequently.
• Direction matters: Shooting toward the sun creates backlit silhouettes; shooting with the sun behind you gives warm, even front-lighting.
• Seasons: Golden hour is longer near the solstices at high latitudes. Near the equator, transitions are faster year-round.