# Golden Hour Calculator - Morning and Evening Golden Hour Times

Find golden hour and blue hour times for any location and date, including morning and evening start, end, and duration.

Canonical HTML: https://suncastapp.com/tools/golden-hour
Last updated: 2026-07-14

## Direct Answer

The SunCast golden hour calculator finds the morning and evening golden hour for a chosen place and date, plus nearby blue hour windows. It is built for planning warm, low-angle light before a shoot or outdoor plan.

## Key Facts
- Golden hour happens when the sun is low above the horizon, creating warmer, more directional light.
- Blue hour occurs around twilight when the sun is below the horizon and the sky turns cooler and more even.
- Golden hour is not always exactly one hour; duration varies by season and latitude.

## Common Uses
- Plan portrait, landscape, real estate, or travel shoots.
- Find morning and evening light windows before arriving on location.
- Compare golden hour and blue hour timing for future dates.

## FAQ

### When is golden hour today?

There are two golden hours: one just after sunrise and one just before sunset, when the sun is low (roughly from the horizon up to 6° above it). Search your location and the calculator shows the exact start and end times for both, for any date you choose.

### How long does golden hour last?

Despite the name it is rarely a full 60 minutes. Near the equator golden hour can be as short as 30–40 minutes because the sun climbs steeply; at higher latitudes, and especially around the summer solstice, it can stretch well beyond an hour as the sun grazes the horizon. The tool gives you the precise duration for your spot and date.

### What is the difference between golden hour and blue hour?

Golden hour is the warm, directional light while the sun is just above the horizon — great for portraits, long shadows and backlight. Blue hour comes before sunrise and after sunset, when the sun is 4–8° below the horizon and the sky turns a deep, even blue — ideal for cityscapes, skylines and reflections. This page shows both.

### What is the best time of day for photography?

For soft, flattering light most photographers shoot the golden hours around sunrise and sunset, and the blue hour for moody, cool tones. Harsh midday sun gives short, hard shadows and high contrast — better for graphic, high-key work. Plan around the times here, then arrive early to scout your composition.

### How do I know which way the golden-hour light will come from?

Light direction matters as much as timing — it decides where shadows fall and whether your subject is front-, side- or back-lit. This page gives you the times; to see the sun’s exact compass direction over a map of your location, open the Sun Calculator. In the field, the SunCast app overlays the sun’s path on your real surroundings in AR.

### Can I plan a shoot for a future date?

Yes. Pick any date — a week or months ahead — and any location, and the calculator shows that day’s golden and blue hours. For alerts before every shoot and a live AR view of the light on location, the SunCast app does this on the go.