Sunrise Sunset Calculator
This sunrise sunset calculator finds sunrise, sunset, day length and twilight times for any location using latitude, longitude and time zone.
Calculate Sunrise and Sunset Times
Sunrise and Sunset Times
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day Length | Solar Noon |
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How to enter latitude and longitude values
How to enter latitude and longitude correctly is the first step to getting accurate sunrise and sunset results. Latitude and longitude can be entered as decimal degrees, such as 45.52 and minus 122.68, which represents a location north of the equator and west of the prime meridian.
Locations south of the equator require a negative latitude value, and locations west of the prime meridian require a negative longitude value. You can find these coordinates by searching a city name on a mapping service and clicking a point on the map to reveal the decimal coordinates.
Northern hemisphere
Use a positive latitude value, such as 40.71 for New York City.
Southern hemisphere
Use a negative latitude value, such as minus 33.87 for Sydney.
West of prime meridian
Use a negative longitude value, such as minus 74.01 for New York City.
East of prime meridian
Use a positive longitude value, such as 151.21 for Sydney.
Astronomy definitions for sunrise and sunset
Astronomy definitions for sunrise and sunset describe the precise angle of the sun relative to the horizon at each stage of the day, from the darkest hours of night to full daylight.
What is sunrise
Sunrise is defined as the moment in the morning when the upper edge of the sun is exactly in line with the horizon at zero degrees. Before this moment the sky transitions through three stages of twilight as the sun approaches the horizon.
What is sunset
Sunset is defined as the moment in the evening when the upper edge of the sun is exactly in line with the horizon at zero degrees. After this moment the sky transitions through the same three stages of twilight in reverse order until full darkness.
What is solar noon
Solar noon is the peak of the sun’s transit across the sky and represents the moment exactly halfway between sunrise and sunset. Solar noon does not always align with twelve o clock on a clock because civil time zones are based on political boundaries rather than the sun’s exact position.
What is civil twilight
Civil twilight occurs when the center of the sun is six degrees below the horizon, both before sunrise and after sunset. This is the brightest stage of twilight and is what most people refer to as dawn or dusk.
What is nautical twilight
Nautical twilight occurs when the center of the sun is twelve degrees below the horizon. During this stage the horizon is still visible at sea, which historically made it useful for navigation using star positions.
What is astronomical twilight
Astronomical twilight occurs when the center of the sun is eighteen degrees below the horizon. After astronomical dusk the sky is considered fully dark for stargazing purposes, and before astronomical dawn the sky remains fully dark.
Why day length changes through the year
Why day length changes through the year comes down to the tilt of the Earth’s axis as it orbits the sun, which causes the angle of sunlight reaching each latitude to shift throughout the year.
Days get longer between the winter solstice and the summer solstice, and shorter between the summer solstice and the winter solstice. Locations closer to the poles experience more extreme changes in day length, while locations near the equator experience relatively little change throughout the year.
Frequently asked questions
Sunrise is the moment the upper edge of the sun crosses the horizon in the morning, and sunset is the moment the upper edge of the sun crosses the horizon in the evening. Both are measured when the sun is at a zero degree angle relative to the horizon.
You can find latitude and longitude by searching your city on a mapping service and right clicking a point on the map to reveal coordinates. Locations south of the equator use a negative latitude and locations west of the prime meridian use a negative longitude.
Civil twilight is the period when the center of the sun is six degrees below the horizon, occurring just before sunrise and just after sunset. It is generally the time of day people refer to as dawn or dusk because there is still enough light to see outdoor activities clearly.
Civil twilight occurs when the sun is six degrees below the horizon, nautical twilight occurs at twelve degrees below the horizon, and astronomical twilight occurs at eighteen degrees below the horizon. Each stage represents a progressively darker sky as the sun moves further below the horizon.
Solar noon is the moment the sun reaches its highest point in the sky for the day, exactly halfway between sunrise and sunset. It does not always match twelve o clock on a clock because clock time is based on time zones rather than the sun’s actual position.
Day lengths change because the Earth is tilted on its axis as it orbits the sun, causing the amount of daylight at any latitude to increase toward summer and decrease toward winter. Days get longer between the winter solstice and summer solstice, and shorter between the summer solstice and winter solstice.