Sunrise Sunset Calculator
| Latitude | Mar 20 | Jun 21 | Sep 22 | Dec 21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -60° | 12h 13m | 5h 52m | 12h 12m | 18h 52m |
| -40° | 12h 08m | 9h 19m | 12h 08m | 15h 01m |
| -20° | 12h 07m | 10h 55m | 12h 07m | 13h 20m |
| 0° | 12h 07m | 12h 07m | 12h 07m | 12h 07m |
| 20° | 12h 07m | 13h 20m | 12h 07m | 10h 55m |
| 40° | 12h 09m | 15h 01m | 12h 09m | 9h 19m |
| 60° | 12h 14m | 18h 52m | 12h 15m | 5h 52m |
| 70° | 12h 21m | polar | 12h 22m | polar |
Sunrise and sunset are pure geometry: your latitude, the date, and the Sun’s declination. This calculator runs the NOAA sunrise equation live - Julian cycle, equation of center, solar declination, and the standard -0.833° zenith that accounts for refraction and the solar disc - and renders the times in your browser’s own timezone.
The latitude table shows the underlying pattern across the year: equinox days are ~12 hours everywhere on Earth, while June and December swing wildly with latitude until the poles break the math entirely.
How to use
- Enter latitude and longitude (south and west are negative), pick a date - times appear in your local timezone.
- Use the city chips for quick checks; the table below compares day lengths at eight latitudes across the four seasonal markers.
- Enter latitude 66+ in June or December to see the polar-night and midnight-sun cases detected honestly.
Frequently asked questions
Why are the times a couple of minutes off my almanac?
NOAA’s own calculator warns the same: the equation computes the geometric event, while printed almanacs layer local terrain, pressure and temperature corrections on top. Expect agreement within a couple of minutes - closer than any watch-based rule.
What is solar noon and why is it not 12:00?
Solar noon is when the Sun crosses your meridian - the true midpoint of daylight. It drifts from 12:00 clock time because of your offset within your timezone and the equation of time: cities at the eastern edge of a timezone see solar noon well before noon.
What does the -0.833 degree zenith mean?
Sunrise is defined when the Sun’s upper edge appears, and atmospheric refraction lifts it about 0.57° visually. Using a zenith of 90.833° instead of 90° folds both effects into the equation - the convention every almanac shares.
When does the calculator return “no sunrise” or “no sunset”?
Polar night and midnight sun: above the Arctic or Antarctic circles at the solstices, the cosine term leaves its valid range and the Sun either never rises or never sets. The tool reports those cases honestly instead of returning nonsense times.