Sunrise & sunset calculator
Sunrise, sunset, solar noon and day length for any date and place - plus civil, nautical and astronomical twilight with their dawn and dusk times. All calculations run in your browser.
Date & location
North positive (e.g. New Delhi 28.6°N).
East positive (e.g. New Delhi 77.2°E).
Location permission is only requested after you click the button. Times are shown in your device’s time zone.
Sky events
Twilight - dawn begins to dusk ends
| Twilight | Dawn | Dusk |
|---|---|---|
| Civil | - | - |
| Nautical | - | - |
| Astronomical | - | - |
How it works
Sunrise and sunset are defined as the moments the upper edge of the sun crosses a level horizon (the standard convention is the centre of the sun at 0.833° below the horizon, which allows for the sun’s radius and average refraction). Solar noon is when the sun is highest in the sky; day length is simply sunset minus sunrise.
Twilight is split into three stages by how far the centre of the sun sits below the horizon:
- Civil twilight - sun down to 6°. Enough light for most activities; the brightest stars and planets appear. Great for cityscape blue hour.
- Nautical twilight - sun between 6° and 12° below. The horizon is still distinguishable, which is why navigators could use it for bearings.
- Astronomical twilight - sun between 12° and 18° below. The sky is dark enough for faint deep-sky objects; once the sun passes 18° the sky is considered fully night.
Each twilight has two moments on a normal day: the dawn time (when the sun, rising, crosses the threshold in the morning) and the dusk time (when the sun, setting, crosses it again in the evening). The calculator uses the NOAA solar-position equations and shows times in your device’s time zone.
Example
For New Delhi (28.6°N, 77.2°E) on 15 June the calculator reports sunrise at 05:22, solar noon around 12:22, sunset at 19:20 and a day length of about 13 h 57 min. Twilight runs from astronomical dawn at ~03:48, through nautical dawn at ~04:23 and civil dawn at ~04:56, then mirrors in the evening with civil dusk at ~19:47, nautical dusk at ~20:19 and astronomical dusk at ~20:54. All times are local Delhi time and accurate to about ±2 minutes.
Use cases
- Working out when the sun will actually rise above a mountain ridge (add a margin to the level-horizon time).
- Planning a dawn shoot that needs specific light levels before the sun appears.
- Knowing when true astronomical darkness starts for milky way or star trail work - combine with the moon phase calculator.
- Understanding how much daylight you will actually get on a hiking or landscape trip.
Related sky planning
Want the warm and blue windows around these events? See the golden hour and blue hour calculators. Planning night sky work? Start with the moon phase calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between civil, nautical and astronomical twilight?
Each stage is defined by how far the sun is below the horizon. Civil twilight (sun down to 6° below the horizon) is when there is enough light to read and the brightest stars appear. Nautical twilight (6° to 12°) is when the horizon is still visible at sea. Astronomical twilight (12° to 18°) is when the sky is dark enough for faint deep-sky objects, and true night begins once the sun passes 18° below the horizon.
Why is sunrise not the same as the start of daylight?
Sunrise in this calculator means the moment the upper edge of the sun appears over a level horizon, so the sky is already getting light for a while before sunrise. That earlier glow is twilight: civil twilight dawn begins before sunrise, and civil twilight dusk ends after sunset.
Are the times exact?
They are accurate to roughly ±2 minutes against standard atmospheric conditions on a level horizon. Mountains, valleys, buildings and local weather can move the visible moment, so treat them as planning guides.
Does the calculator use my time zone?
Yes. Times are shown in the time zone your device is set to. If you travel, set the date and enter coordinates - the times are then converted into whatever time zone your phone or computer is currently using.