Golden Hour Calculator

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate are these times?

They come from a simplified solar model that is good to within a few minutes for most locations. Near the poles or twilight edges it falls back to approximate windows around sunrise and sunset.

What is golden hour?

It is the period when the sun is low, here from the horizon up to about 6 degrees elevation, producing warm, soft light prized for portraits and landscapes.

What is blue hour?

It is the civil-twilight band just before sunrise and after sunset (sun about 6 to 4 degrees below the horizon) when the sky turns deep blue, ideal for cityscapes.

Do I include daylight saving time in the offset?

Yes. Enter your actual UTC offset for that date, adding an hour during daylight saving time, so the clock times come out correctly.

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Estimates for informational purposes only.

Important Disclaimer: Estimates for informational purposes only.

This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only. Results are based on assumptions and may not reflect actual outcomes. Consult qualified professionals in relevant fields before making important decisions based on these results.

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How This Calculator Works

Enter a latitude, longitude, date, and timezone offset from UTC (for example −5 for US Eastern Standard Time). The calculator uses the same NOAA-style solar-position math as our sunrise and sunset tool, computing the solar declination and the equation of time, then finds the hour angle at which the sun reaches key elevations to mark the golden hour, blue hour, and sunrise and sunset.

Formula

For a target sun elevation, cos(H) = (sin(elev) − sin(lat) × sin(decl)) ÷ (cos(lat) × cos(decl)), and the hour angle H converts to time from solar noon at 15 degrees per hour. Sunrise and sunset use an elevation of −0.833 degrees to allow for refraction. Golden hour runs between the horizon and the sun at +6 degrees; blue hour is the civil-twilight band from −6 to −4 degrees.

Worked Example

For San Francisco (lat 37.77, lon −122.41) on a summer date with a timezone offset of −7, the tool finds sunrise near 05:50 and sunset near 20:30. The morning golden hour runs from sunrise until the sun climbs to +6 degrees roughly 35 minutes later, while the evening golden hour begins when the sun drops back to +6 degrees and ends at sunset.

Common Mistakes

Leaving the timezone offset at 0 when you want local clock times, which shifts every result.

Forgetting daylight saving time; add an hour to the standard offset during summer.

Swapping latitude and longitude, which puts you in the wrong hemisphere.

Expecting exact times; this is a simplified model, so verify within a few minutes for critical shoots.

Tips & FAQ

How accurate is this? It is a simplified estimate good to within a few minutes for most locations; near the poles or twilight edges it falls back to approximate windows around sunrise and sunset.

What is golden hour? The period when the sun is low (here, from the horizon to about +6 degrees), giving warm, soft light prized for portraits and landscapes.

What is blue hour? The civil-twilight band just before sunrise and after sunset when the sky turns deep blue, ideal for cityscapes.

Do I enter DST in the offset? Yes, use your actual UTC offset for the date, including any daylight saving adjustment.

Frequently Asked Questions

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