What does the sunrise/sunset calculator do?
The Sunrise/Sunset Calculator computes the times of sunrise and sunset for any date and location on Earth. From a date and a pair of coordinates (latitude and longitude), it returns the sunrise time, sunset time, and total daylight in hours and minutes — all in your local time zone.
It uses the standard NOAA / US Naval Observatory sunrise equation, which is the algorithm most weather services and astronomy tools use. Accurate to within about ±1 minute for most non-polar locations and dates.
How to use the calculator
- Pick a date — defaults to today.
- Enter your latitude and longitude. If you grant geolocation permission, these prefill automatically.
- Sunrise time, sunset time, and daylight duration appear immediately.
- Tap Copy for a one-line summary suitable for trip planning, photography schedules, or calendar entries.
How to find your coordinates
Easiest method: tap "Allow" when the calculator asks for location permission — your browser detects your position and prefills lat/lon.
Manual methods:
- Google Maps: right-click anywhere on the map; the coordinates appear at the top of the right-click menu. Click them to copy.
- Apple Maps: tap and hold a location, then "Drop a pin"; the pin's info card shows coordinates.
- Search: "[city name] coordinates" on Google works for most cities.
- GPS device or app: your phone's compass app or any hiking/outdoors app shows current coordinates.
Coordinate format: latitude is north-south (positive north of the equator, negative south). Longitude is east-west (positive east of the prime meridian, negative west). Decimal format like 40.7128 (NYC latitude) is what the calculator expects, NOT degrees-minutes-seconds.
Worked examples
New York City on summer solstice (June 21)
Lat 40.71, Lon -74.01. Sunrise ~5:25 AM, sunset ~8:30 PM. Daylight: about 15 hours 5 minutes — the longest day of the year for the Northern Hemisphere.
New York City on winter solstice (December 21)
Same coordinates. Sunrise ~7:17 AM, sunset ~4:32 PM. Daylight: about 9 hours 15 minutes — the shortest day. Difference between solstices: nearly 6 hours.
Quito, Ecuador (on the equator)
Lat -0.18, Lon -78.47. Daylight is roughly 12 hours every day of the year — equatorial locations have minimal seasonal variation in daylight length. Sunrise ~6:00 AM, sunset ~6:15 PM, year-round.
Reykjavik, Iceland on summer solstice
Lat 64.13, Lon -21.95. Sunrise ~3:00 AM, sunset ~11:30 PM. Daylight: about 21 hours. The "midnight sun" effect — high latitudes have extreme summer days.
Tromsø, Norway on winter solstice
Lat 69.65, Lon 18.96. The sun never rises. The calculator returns "no sunrise/sunset" for this date — the sun stays below the horizon for several weeks ("polar night").
Why daylight varies so much
Earth's axis is tilted 23.5° relative to its orbital plane around the sun. This tilt is what causes seasons. Through the year, different parts of Earth get different amounts of direct sunlight:
- Summer in your hemisphere: tilted toward the sun. The sun rises higher, sets later, and stays above the horizon longer. Days are long.
- Winter: tilted away. The sun rises lower, sets earlier, and stays below the horizon longer. Days are short.
- Equinoxes (March 20, September 22-23): the tilt is perpendicular to the sun's direction. Daylight is 12 hours everywhere on Earth.
The variation is most extreme at the poles (months of total daylight or total darkness) and minimal at the equator (~12 hours of daylight every day).
Why is sunrise/sunset time non-symmetric around solar noon?
Solar noon (when the sun is highest) is roughly midway between sunrise and sunset, but not exactly. Slight differences come from:
- Equation of time: Earth's elliptical orbit and axial tilt mean clock noon and solar noon don't always match. The difference can be up to 16 minutes.
- Atmospheric refraction: light bends through Earth's atmosphere, making the sun visible slightly before it actually crosses the horizon (sunrise) and slightly after it sets (sunset). This adds ~5-10 minutes to apparent daylight.
- Time zone offset: your clock is set to a time zone that may not match your exact longitude. A city on the eastern edge of its time zone has earlier sunrise/sunset than a city on the western edge.
Atmospheric refraction and the "official" sunrise
The standard sunrise/sunset times you see in newspapers, almanacs, and apps include atmospheric refraction. Light from the sun bends as it passes through Earth's atmosphere, especially at low angles, so we see the sun BEFORE its geometric center has risen above the true horizon (and we still see it AFTER it has actually set).
The "zenith angle" used in the calculation is 90.833° (90° for the geometric horizon plus an extra 50 arc-minutes — about 16' for refraction and 16' for the sun's apparent radius). This gives the standard "sunrise" — the moment the upper edge of the sun first appears.
For other definitions:
- Civil twilight: 96° zenith. Sky is bright enough to see general details outdoors without artificial light.
- Nautical twilight: 102° zenith. Horizon still visible at sea, stars used for navigation.
- Astronomical twilight: 108° zenith. Sky fully dark for telescope observations.
This calculator uses the standard 90.833° zenith for the official sunrise/sunset times.
Daylight saving time and your local clock
The calculator returns times in your browser's local time zone, which automatically includes daylight saving time when in effect. So during summer DST in the Northern Hemisphere, sunrise might be reported as "6:30 AM" — that's the clock time, not the "actual" solar time. The astronomical event is the same.
If you want sun times that don't shift with DST, subtract 1 hour from the displayed time during the local DST period (typically March-November in the US, late March-late October in Europe).
Polar latitudes — when the sun doesn't rise (or set)
Above the Arctic Circle (66.5° N) or below the Antarctic Circle (66.5° S), there are days when:
- The sun never rises ("polar night") — happens around winter solstice. Length depends on latitude: at the Arctic Circle it's 1 day; at the North Pole it's 6 months.
- The sun never sets ("midnight sun") — happens around summer solstice. Same latitude scaling.
The calculator detects these conditions and reports "no sunrise" or "no sunset" rather than returning a wrong number.
Practical uses
Photography
The "golden hour" is roughly the first hour after sunrise and last hour before sunset — warm light, long shadows. The "blue hour" is the 20-30 minutes after sunset (or before sunrise) when the sky has a deep blue quality. Knowing exact sunrise/sunset times lets you plan shoots precisely.
Outdoor activities
Hiking, fishing, sailing, kayaking — all benefit from knowing when the sun will rise and set. Don't be caught in the woods after dark by accident.
Weddings and events
Outdoor ceremonies are often timed to a specific quality of light. Sunset weddings are popular for the photogenic golden-hour backdrop. Plan the timing months in advance using the calculator.
Gardening
Plants need specific amounts of direct sunlight. Knowing when the sun rises and sets in your garden through the year helps you place plants in their preferred "full sun" or "partial shade" exposures.
Solar energy
Solar panels' daily output depends on daylight hours and the sun's angle through the day. Knowing precise sunrise/sunset times helps with capacity planning.
Religious observance
Many religious practices are tied to sunrise or sunset (Muslim prayer times, Jewish Sabbath beginnings, fasting hours during Ramadan). Calendars based on sunrise/sunset need accurate calculations.
Travel planning
Knowing daylight hours at your destination helps plan sightseeing schedules, especially in places like Iceland (very long summer days) or polar regions (no sun for parts of the year).
Common questions and concerns
"My location isn't autodetected. What now?"
Either grant geolocation permission in your browser (usually a popup near the address bar), or look up your coordinates manually using Google Maps (right-click any spot on the map).
"Why is the time slightly different from what my weather app shows?"
Different sources use slightly different algorithms or zenith angles. Variations of a minute or two are normal. If yours is off by more than 5 minutes, double-check your coordinates and time zone.
"Can I see times for multiple days?"
Currently one date at a time — change the date to see another day. For a full month or year overview, search for almanac services that list daily sunrise/sunset for whole years.
"Does the sun rise in the same place every day?"
No. Through the year, the sunrise direction shifts north and south. Around the summer solstice, sunrise is at its most northeasterly; around winter solstice, most southeasterly. Equinoxes are due east. Sunset shifts symmetrically — most northwesterly in summer, most southwesterly in winter.
What the calculator gives you, summarized
- Sunrise time — the moment the upper edge of the sun first appears above the horizon, accounting for atmospheric refraction.
- Sunset time — the moment the upper edge of the sun fully disappears below the horizon.
- Daylight duration — total hours and minutes of light between the two events.
- Geolocation prefill — one-tap latitude/longitude entry if you grant permission.
- Local time zone — times shown in your browser's local time, including any DST adjustments.
- Polar handling — detects and reports "no sunrise" or "no sunset" for high-latitude locations during their respective night/sun seasons.
One date plus coordinates, three time-related outputs. The right tool for any plan that depends on knowing when the sun is up.