Sunrise and Sunset Calculator
Find approximate sunrise and sunset times for any month and latitude. See day length, golden hour times for photography, and seasonal light patterns around the world.
Sunrise
03:49
Sunset
21:16
Day Length
17h 30m
Golden Hour (approx.)
02:45-04:45, 20:15-22:00
Golden hour is the time shortly after sunrise or before sunset when sunlight is softer and warmer, ideal for photography and outdoor activities.
Times shown are approximate and based on standard day-of-month calculations. Actual times vary slightly depending on exact location within the latitude band and time zone.
Why Latitude, Date and Time Zone All Matter
Sunrise and sunset times depend on three things at once: latitude (how far north or south you are), the date (where Earth sits in its orbit), and the local time zone. A summer day in Reykjavik (~64°N) has 21+ hours of daylight; the same spot in mid-December has under 5. Equator cities like Quito or Singapore barely vary across the year, sitting around 06:15-18:25 every month. A photographer planning a sunrise hike up Pulpit Rock in May needs all three numbers, not just a city name.
This tool uses pre-calculated reference data for 13 latitude bands from 60°N to 60°S, accurate to within roughly 10-15 minutes for the middle of each month. For exact times at a specific location, official sources like timeanddate.com or HM Nautical Almanac Office data compute to the nearest minute.
How Day Length Varies by Season
| Latitude | Example | 21 June | 21 December |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60°N | Iceland, Bergen | ~24 hours | ~5 hours |
| 50°N | London, Vancouver | ~17 hours | ~8 hours |
| 40°N | New York, Madrid | ~15 hours | ~9 hours |
| 30°N | Cairo, Houston | ~14 hours | ~10 hours |
| Equator | Quito, Singapore | ~12 hours | ~12 hours |
| 30°S | Sydney, Cape Town | ~10 hours | ~14 hours |
| 50°S | Falkland Islands | ~8 hours | ~17 hours |
What Travellers and Photographers Use This For
Golden hour (roughly 30-60 minutes after sunrise and before sunset) is when light is warmest and shadows are softest, and is when most travel and landscape photography looks its best. The tool flags approximate windows for each latitude and month so you can plan a 06:00 hike up Pulpit Rock in Norway to catch sunrise over the fjord, or schedule dinner on a Greek balcony to coincide with the colour. The [Timezone Meeting Planner](/timezone-meeting-planner) is useful alongside if you are coordinating any of this with people back home.
It is also handy for the basics: when does it get dark in Reykjavik in October (around 17:00), how late will it stay light for a 21:00 walk in Copenhagen in June (broad daylight), what time do you need to be up to catch sunrise from the Arctic Circle in winter (you do not - polar night means the sun does not rise at all). The tool flags 'midnight sun' or 'polar night' for those latitudes when relevant.
Frequently Asked Questions
What about midnight sun and polar night?
Above roughly 66.5°N or below 66.5°S, the sun does not set for part of the summer and does not rise for part of the winter. The N60° band in this tool flags midnight sun for June and July as an approximation. For exact start and end dates at your specific latitude, timeanddate.com is more precise.
Are the times in local time or UTC?
Local time at the latitude shown, assuming the standard time zone for that region. If your destination sits on the eastern or western edge of its time zone, actual times can differ by 30-60 minutes. Daylight saving shifts add another hour during summer in most temperate countries.
How accurate is this compared to a real almanac?
Within 10-15 minutes at the middle of any month, less accurate near the start and end. Built for trip planning, not navigation or astronomy. For tide times, eclipses or anything safety-critical at sea, use the Royal Observatory's HM Nautical Almanac Office data instead.
What is the difference between civil twilight and sunset?
Sunset is the moment the sun's upper edge drops below the horizon. Civil twilight continues for around 30 minutes after, when there is enough natural light to see without artificial illumination. Photographers' 'blue hour' falls in the second half of civil twilight.
Related Tools
Time Zone Converter
Convert times between any two time zones instantly. See current local time in both zones, offset difference, and easily swap between zones for quick scheduling.
Distance Calculator
Calculate the distance between major cities worldwide. See great-circle distance in km and miles, estimated flight time, and time zone difference for 50+ global cities.
Holiday Countdown Generator
Create a beautiful countdown to your holiday or any event. See days, hours, minutes, and seconds tick down in real time with fun milestones and a pre-trip checklist.