What latitude should I enter?

Use decimal degrees. Positive values are North (e.g., 51.5 for London), negative values are South (e.g., -33.9 for Sydney). Values must be between -90 and 90.

Are the sunrise and sunset times in my local time zone?

The times shown are relative to solar noon (the moment the sun is highest) and represent offsets in hours and minutes before and after it. To get clock times, you would need to add your UTC offset and equation-of-time correction.

What happens near the poles?

Above about 66.5° N/S around the summer solstice, the sun never fully sets (midnight sun — 24 h daylight). Near the winter solstice the sun never rises (polar night — 0 h daylight). The calculator reports these as 24:00 or 0:00 respectively.

How accurate is this calculation?

The formula uses the standard Spencer/Cooper astronomical model for solar declination. It is accurate to within a minute or two for most latitudes. Extreme altitudes, atmospheric refraction, and terrain are not accounted for.

What is solar declination?

Solar declination is the angle between the rays of the sun and the equatorial plane of the Earth. It varies from about +23.45° at the June solstice to −23.45° at the December solstice, driving the seasonal change in day length.

Why does the equator always get about 12 hours of daylight?

At the equator (0° latitude) the sun rises and sets perpendicular to the horizon year-round, giving almost exactly 12 hours of daylight every day regardless of the season.

Daylight Hours Calculator

Name: Daylight Hours Calculator
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Enter a latitude and date to instantly see how many hours of daylight that location receives.

Daylight Calculator

Latitude (decimal degrees)

Positive = North, Negative = South. Range: −90 to 90.

Date

Quick presets

Enter a latitude and date, then press Calculate.

Summary

Enter a latitude and date to instantly see how many hours of daylight that location receives.

How it works

Enter the latitude of your location in decimal degrees (e.g., 40.71 for New York, -33.87 for Sydney).
Pick a date — today is pre-filled for convenience.
Click Calculate to run the astronomical day-length formula.
The tool computes the solar declination for that date and derives the hour angle at sunrise.
Results show total daylight hours and minutes, plus approximate solar sunrise and sunset offsets from solar noon.
Use the preset city buttons to jump to well-known latitudes instantly.

Use cases

Plan outdoor activities or hikes based on available daylight.
Estimate golden hour and blue hour windows for landscape photography.
Understand how day length changes across seasons for gardening or farming.
Check daylight duration before booking a winter trip to a northern destination.
Compare day lengths at different latitudes on the same date.
Help students visualize how the Earth's axial tilt affects seasons.
Estimate usable solar energy hours for off-grid projects.
Research polar day (midnight sun) and polar night phenomena.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-06-10 · Reviewed by Nham Vu