Golden hour and blue hour, by city
Golden hour is when the sun is between 6° above the horizon and 4° below it, after sunrise and before sunset. Pick a city and a day for the morning and evening golden hour, the blue hour, sunrise and sunset, to the minute on that city's own clock, for New York and 39 more.
Evening golden hour · Tue, Nov 3
4:11 to 5:07 PM
Times in Eastern Standard Time, on New York's own clock. Copy the link to share this day with your crew.
The week ahead in New York
| Day | Morning golden hour | Evening golden hour | Blue hour after |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Nov 3 | 6:10 to 7:07 AM | 4:11 to 5:07 PM | 5:07 to 5:29 PM |
| Wed, Nov 4 | 6:11 to 7:08 AM | 4:10 to 5:06 PM | 5:06 to 5:28 PM |
| Thu, Nov 5 | 6:12 to 7:09 AM | 4:09 to 5:05 PM | 5:05 to 5:27 PM |
| Fri, Nov 6 | 6:14 to 7:10 AM | 4:07 to 5:04 PM | 5:04 to 5:26 PM |
| Sat, Nov 7 | 6:15 to 7:12 AM | 4:06 to 5:03 PM | 5:03 to 5:25 PM |
| Sun, Nov 8 | 6:16 to 7:13 AM | 4:05 to 5:02 PM | 5:02 to 5:24 PM |
| Mon, Nov 9 | 6:17 to 7:14 AM | 4:04 to 5:01 PM | 5:01 to 5:23 PM |
Every city
United States
Around the world
Somewhere else? The sun and golden hour tool takes any place or coordinates. For the twilight after sunset, see blue hour by city.
How we work it out
Golden hour is when the sun sits between 6 degrees above the horizon and 4 degrees below it. Blue hour follows, from 4 to 8 degrees below. We find those moments from the sun's position, using the method the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) publishes, then print them on the city's own clock, to the minute.
The times assume a flat horizon. Hills, buildings and a valley floor bring the light down sooner. Because the windows are set by the sun's height, they run longer in winter and far from the equator, and shorter near it.
This is the same calculation, with the same bands, that Cutvey Meter runs on your phone and your Apple Watch, so the times match to the minute. For the twilight on its own, every city's morning and evening blue hour is on blue hour by city.
On set
Get a tap on the wrist 15 minutes before golden hour.
Cutvey Meter draws the sun's path over your live picture and plans any place on a map, with a stand-in's shadow at every hour. The alert works on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
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