What each time means
- Sunrise and sunset are the moments the top edge of the Sun touches the horizon, allowing for the bending of light by the atmosphere.
- Civil dawn and dusk are when the Sun is 6° below the horizon. Between dawn and sunrise (and sunset and dusk) there is usually enough light to be outside without lamps.
- Golden hour is the soft, warm light when the Sun is low, loved by photographers. The time shown is when evening golden hour begins.
- Solar noon is when the Sun is highest in the sky, which is often not exactly 12:00 because of time zones and daylight saving time.
Moon phases explained
The Moon goes through a full cycle of phases about every 29.5 days. At New Moon it sits between Earth and the Sun and we see its dark side. Over the next two weeks the lit part grows (waxing) through crescent, First Quarter and gibbous to Full Moon, then shrinks (waning) back again. The percentage shows how much of the Moon's face is lit. Moonrise and moonset shift about 50 minutes later each day, so some days have no moonrise or no moonset at all.
How accurate is this?
The times are calculated with well-known astronomical formulas in your browser, and are usually accurate to within a minute or two. Hills, tall buildings and weather can make the real sunrise look a little later. Near the poles there may be no sunrise or sunset at all during part of the year, shown as "—". Times appear in your device's time zone, so choose a city in your own zone for local clock times.
Planning a festival or fast? Moonrise matters for occasions like Karwa Chauth and Eid. Always confirm with your local religious calendar.
Frequently asked questions
Why does sunrise change every day?
Earth’s tilt and its elliptical orbit change how long the Sun stays above the horizon through the year.
Is my location sent anywhere?
No. All calculations happen on your device. Nothing is stored or sent to our server.
Why does it say — for moonrise?
The Moon rises about 50 minutes later each day, so on some dates it does not rise (or set) at all before midnight.
What time zone are the times in?
Your device’s time zone. For another city’s local clock time, change your device time zone or add its UTC offset.
More live Earth & Space tools
Data and credits: Calculations: SunCalc by Vladimir Agafonkin (BSD-2), using standard astronomical formulas. No external data is loaded. See all Live Earth & Space tools and our credits page.