Golden Hour Calculator
Calculate golden hour start/end times and the blue hour window from your latitude and date for any location — for landscape and portrait photos.
Sunset time varies daily based on your geographic latitude, longitude, and the date. Photographers use it to plan golden hour — the roughly 30–60 minutes before sunset when light is warm, soft, and directional.
The Formula (simplified):
Sunset hour angle (H) = arccos(−tan(latitude) × tan(declination))
Solar declination (δ) = 23.45° × sin(360° × (284 + day_of_year) / 365)
Sunset time (UTC) = 12 + H / 15 − equation_of_time_correction − longitude / 15
Key Variables:
- Latitude: Higher latitudes = extreme variation between summer and winter
- Longitude: Each degree east or west shifts local solar time by 4 minutes
- Day of year: Drives the declination calculation
Practical Reference — Sunset Times at Different Latitudes:
| Latitude | Jun 21 (summer) | Dec 21 (winter) |
|---|---|---|
| 25°N (Miami) | 8:14 PM | 5:32 PM |
| 40°N (New York) | 8:31 PM | 4:32 PM |
| 51°N (London) | 9:21 PM | 3:55 PM |
Golden Hour Duration:
- Tropics (0–15°N/S): Golden hour lasts only 20–30 minutes — sun sets almost vertically
- Mid-latitudes (30–50°): Golden hour lasts 40–60 minutes
- Near Arctic Circle: Golden hour can last 1–2 hours or more in summer
Worked Example:
Location: 40°N, 74°W (New York). Date: March 20 (day 79).
Declination ≈ 0° (equinox). Sunset ≈ 12:00 + 90/15 = 18:00 UTC = 7:00 PM EDT
Photographer Tips:
- Blue hour (15–30 min after sunset) is equally valuable for cityscapes
- Scout locations in advance — arrive 30 minutes early
- West-facing subjects catch the most sunset light; east-facing subjects get beautiful reflected warm fill