Golden hour calculator●
See when the light is best for photos: golden hour, blue hour, sunrise and sunset for any place and day.
Times update as you change the place or date. Nothing you enter leaves this page.
Sun times
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The sun is calculated in this browser tab. Your place and date are not sent, saved or tracked.
How golden hour and blue hour are calculated
Golden hour is the period when the sun is low, so the light is soft, warm and directional. This tool counts it as the time when the sun is between 4 degrees below and 6 degrees above the horizon, in the morning and in the evening. Blue hour is the period just before sunrise and just after sunset when the sun is between 4 and 8 degrees below the horizon and the sky turns deep blue. The times come from the sun's position, which depends on the date, the latitude and the longitude. The calculation runs in your browser with no lookup service, so it also works offline once the page has loaded. Results are usually accurate to about a minute. Clouds, mountains and buildings change how the light looks, so arrive early. Near the poles the sun can stay up or down for weeks, and the tool tells you when that happens.
Exposure calculator →Common questions
How long does golden hour last?
Usually 40 to 80 minutes. It is longer in summer at higher latitudes and shorter near the equator, where the sun drops fast.
What is blue hour?
It is the short time before sunrise and after sunset when the sun is just below the horizon and the sky turns deep blue. It lasts about 20 to 40 minutes.
Is golden hour the same as sunset?
No. Evening golden hour starts before sunset, while the sun is still above the horizon, and ends shortly after the sun sets.
Why are the times shown in a different time zone?
For cities, times use the local time zone of that city. For coordinates, times use your device time zone.
Do I need an internet connection?
Only to load the page. The sun is calculated on your device, and no place or date is sent anywhere.
How accurate are the results?
Usually within a minute or two. Hills, buildings and weather change when the light actually looks golden.