The SunCast blog

Guides to golden hour, sunrise and sunset direction, and planning light for photography, home and garden — from the team behind the SunCast app.

Photographer with a camera on a tripod above a misty valley in low golden light

Sun Tracker Apps

Best Sun Position Apps for Photographers in 2026

Five sun position apps for photographers compared on what decides a shoot: where the light falls, what blocks it and whether you can scout it before you go.

· 8 min read

Walker on a snowy forest track with low winter sun shining through the trees

Outdoors

How to Plan a Winter Hike Around Short Daylight

A practical way to fit a winter walk into seven or eight hours of daylight, from the sunset time to the ridge that hides the sun an hour early.

· 7 min read

Harbour clock tower at dusk with street lights on and the sky still faintly lit

The Science of Sunlight

What Happens to Your Daylight When the Clocks Change

The clocks change the label on the sunlight, not the sunlight itself. Here is what moves, what stays the same and the 2026 dates.

· 6 min read

Low sun shining between city buildings and casting long shadows across a street

Sun Tracker Apps

Best Sun Tracker Apps for iPhone in 2026, Based on Written Reviews

Six sun tracker apps compared using 144 written reviews from 20 January 2026: practical recommendations, user frustrations and the data behind our picks.

· 14 min read

A real partial solar eclipse visible through gaps in a cloudy sky

The Science of Sunlight

How to Choose a Solar Eclipse Viewing Spot

A place inside the eclipse path still needs a clear view of the sun at the right time. Check the local circumstances before you travel.

· 6 min read

Outdoor tennis courts with long shadows across the playing surface

Outdoors

How to Orient a Tennis Court to Reduce Sun Glare

North–south is a sound starting point, but the court still needs a glare check at the times and seasons people will use it.

· 6 min read

Open white pergola beams casting narrow shadows beneath a clear blue sky

Real Estate & Home

How to Plan Shade Before Adding a Pergola or Patio Cover

A roof over the table does not guarantee shade at the table. Check overhead coverage, open sides and seasonal sun angles before committing to a patio cover.

· 6 min read

A person with outstretched arms silhouetted against a bright sky and calm water

Photography

How to Plan Silhouette Photography Around the Sun

A recognisable outline and a bright background matter more than a particular hour. Plan camera position, subject separation and exposure before the moment arrives.

· 7 min read

Rows of exterior metal shading blades projecting in front of a building’s windows

Real Estate & Home

Vertical Fins or Horizontal Louvres: Which Shading Design Fits Your Windows?

Choose window shading by the sunlight it needs to intercept. Compare horizontal blades, vertical fins and adjustable screens using your façade’s actual sun angles.

· 7 min read

Flower-lined outdoor wedding aisle with rows of chairs facing a ceremony arch

Outdoors

Outdoor Wedding Sun Direction: Plan Your Ceremony Light

Plan outdoor wedding sunlight around your ceremony direction, guest seating and portraits. Check the venue on your wedding date before fixing your schedule.

· 10 min read

Restaurant tables beneath a canopy and trees on a waterside terrace

Real Estate & Home

Restaurant Terrace Sunlight: Plan Your Outdoor Seating

Plan restaurant terrace sunlight by service time and season. Check moving building shadows, choose outdoor seating zones and verify the layout before opening.

· 13 min read

Camera operator adjusting a professional video camera

Photography

Sun Position for Filming: Your Location-Scouting Guide

Plan sun position for filming with a location-scouting workflow. Check camera angles, moving shadows and exterior light before setting your shoot schedule.

· 13 min read

Small greenhouse in a sunny allotment beside garden beds and a compost area

Gardening

Where Should You Put a Greenhouse? Check Sunlight Before You Build

A practical greenhouse siting checklist that starts with seasonal direct sunlight, then checks shade, access and summer ventilation.

· 6 min read

Layered mountain ridges beneath a bright morning sky, with valleys still in shadow

The Science of Sunlight

Why You Cannot See Sunrise at the Published Sunrise Time

A published sunrise time is an astronomical reference. Your visible sunrise can be later when the horizon is blocked.

· 6 min read

White two-storey house with projecting roof sections beside neighbouring homes

Real Estate & Home

Will an Extension Block My Sunlight? A Practical Shadow Check

A practical first check for how an extension could change sunlight on a patio, in a garden or through a window.

· 5 min read

Outdoor portrait of a woman with sunlight catching her hair

Photography

How to Avoid Harsh Shadows in Outdoor Portraits

Find even light on faces, choose a workable background and plan where the sun will be before an outdoor portrait session.

· 8 min read

Solar panels on a tiled roof with trees nearby

Real Estate & Home

How Much Does Shade Affect Solar Panel Output?

Separate real shading losses from rough assumptions, compare roof sections and learn what to ask an installer about a partly shaded solar array.

· 7 min read

Side view: a 2-metre wall casts a 3.46-metre ground shadow when the sun is 30 degrees above the horizon

Real Estate & Home

When Will My Patio Be in Shade? A Practical Guide

Work out whether a wall or building will shade your seating area, then explore changing shadow length and direction in an interactive 3D calculator.

· 8 min read

Leafy vegetables growing in a raised garden bed

Gardening

How to Choose the Best Spot for Raised Beds in Your Garden

Find a raised-bed position that suits your crops, stays practical to maintain and receives sunlight during the months you will grow.

· 9 min read

Solar panels installed across a pitched tiled roof beneath a blue sky

Real Estate & Home

How to Estimate Roof Solar Potential Before a Survey

Turn roof area, orientation and shade into a transparent first estimate of solar electricity production, with clear limits on what the result means.

· 7 min read

Orange and pink sunset clouds reflected in a lake above silhouetted trees

Photography

Will Tonight's Sunset Be Worth Photographing?

A practical way to judge sunset colour potential, choose a viewpoint and make a useful plan when the forecast is uncertain.

· 8 min read

Raised vegetable garden beds receiving direct sunlight, illustrating how garden exposure changes through the day

Gardening

Morning Sun vs. Afternoon Sun for Plants: Which Is Better?

The same number of direct-sun hours can feel very different in the morning and afternoon. Here is how to match the light window to the plant and climate.

· 6 min read

A person using a smartphone to photograph the sun near the horizon, illustrating future sun-path planning

The Science of Sunlight

How to See the Sun Path on a Future Date

A practical way to preview the sun path for a future day and turn the result into a useful plan for a photo, home, garden, or outdoor trip.

· 6 min read

Sun Tracker AR icon over a sunlit building terrace with long architectural shadows

Sun Tracker Apps

5 Best Sun Tracker AR Alternatives in 2026

Compare Sun Tracker AR alternatives for real-world 3D shadows, Street View, weather, Sun and Moon planning, Android, and exact celestial alignment.

· 5 min read

Hiker with a backpack walking beneath trees on a shaded summer trail

Outdoors

How to Find Shade on a Summer Hike

A practical method for predicting when ridges, trees, and trail features will provide useful shade during a hot-weather hike.

· 13 min read

Apartment building with balconies and windows, illustrating how surrounding buildings and orientation affect balcony sunlight

Real Estate & Home

How to Check Whether a Balcony Gets Direct Sunlight

A simple way to find out when a balcony gets direct sun, and why one bright viewing is not enough evidence.

· 5 min read

Strong sunlight casting a sharp shadow across a modern building facade, illustrating why sun direction matters in architectural photography

Photography

How to Plan Architectural Photography Around Sun Direction

A practical workflow for choosing when a building facade will be lit, shaded, backlit, or visually flat before a photography shoot.

· 6 min read

Person holding an iPhone outdoors in autumn sunlight

Sun Tracker Apps

Best Sun Tracker Apps for iPhone in 2026

A fair, use-case-led comparison of five iPhone sun trackers for AR, shadows, photography, property checks, gardens, and outdoor plans.

· 8 min read

Sunlit raised garden beds with chili pepper and herb plants

Gardening

Full Sun, Partial Sun, and Shade: How to Measure Your Garden

Plant tags are only useful when you know how much direct light each part of your garden actually receives. Here is a simple, repeatable way to measure it.

· 6 min read

Photographer scouting a mountain landscape at sunrise with a tripod

Photography

The Location-Scouting Checklist for Outdoor Photographers

A repeatable location-scouting checklist that turns a beautiful place into a workable photo plan before the subject, client, or crew arrives.

· 6 min read

Aerial view of suburban homes casting long shadows across streets

Real Estate & Home

North- vs South-Facing Homes: Sunlight by Season

A practical way to assess a home's orientation: start with hemisphere and season, then check window direction, nearby shade, and the rooms you will use.

· 7 min read

Tent pitched in a sunny mountain campsite with low sunlight over the ridge

Outdoors

How to Choose a Campsite That Won't Bake at Sunrise

A practical campsite sunlight check for avoiding an exposed tent, an overheated morning, or a sunrise that hits earlier than expected.

· 6 min read

Snow-covered house lit by low winter sunlight

Real Estate & Home

How to Tell If a House Gets Good Winter Sun Before You Buy

A home-buyer checklist for judging winter sunlight before the shortest days reveal the real light.

· 6 min read

Long winter shadows from bare trees stretching across snow

The Science of Sunlight

How Shadows Change From Winter to Summer

A plain-English explanation of why winter shadows stretch farther, summer shadows shrink, and seasonal shade planning needs more than one date.

· 7 min read

Bright apartment living room with large windows and a gray sofa

Real Estate & Home

The Sunlight Checklist for Apartment Viewings

A practical checklist for judging whether an apartment gets real sun before you rent or buy.

· 6 min read

Sunny raised garden bed filled with green vegetables

Gardening

How to Map Sun Exposure in Your Garden Before Planting

A practical method for mapping where sun hits your yard so plants, raised beds, and patios land in the right place.

· 5 min read

Outdoor photographer holding a camera among green leaves

Photography

How to Plan a Photoshoot Around Light Direction, Not Just Time

A practical guide to planning outdoor shoots around where the light comes from, not only when it happens.

· 6 min read

A deep-blue twilight sky during blue hour

Photography

What Is Blue Hour? Timing, Light and Photography

The quiet, deep-blue light that bookends the day: what causes it, when it happens, and how it differs from golden hour.

· 5 min read

Illustration of a house with an outward arrow from its front door pointing south, at a bearing of 180 degrees

Real Estate & Home

Which Way Does My House Face? Compass & Map Guide

Find your home’s direction with a compass or satellite map, then explore morning, afternoon and seasonal sunlight with the embedded calculator.

· 5 min read

Silhouette of a tree against a glowing sky during golden hour

Photography

What Time Is Golden Hour Today? A Simple Guide

How to find your local golden hour times today, and why they shift with your latitude, the season, and the weather.

· 4 min read

Markdown version