Golden Hour Calculator

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:

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