Question 1

What time is sunrise today?

Accepted Answer

Sunrise time depends on your location and the date. Use our calculator above to find the exact sunrise time for any city. For New York, sunrise typically ranges from around 7:20 AM in January to 5:25 AM in mid-June.

Question 2

What time does the sun set today?

Accepted Answer

Sunset time varies by location and date. Select your city in the calculator above to see today's sunset time. In New York, sunset ranges from around 4:28 PM in December to 8:31 PM in late June.

Question 3

How many hours of daylight are there today?

Accepted Answer

Daylight hours vary by location and season. At the equator, daylight is nearly constant at 12 hours year-round. In New York, daylight ranges from about 9 hours 15 minutes at the winter solstice to 15 hours 5 minutes at the summer solstice.

Question 4

What is solar noon?

Accepted Answer

Solar noon is the moment when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky for the day. It is not always at 12:00 PM clock time — it depends on your exact longitude within your time zone and whether Daylight Saving Time is in effect.

Question 5

What is civil twilight (dawn and dusk)?

Accepted Answer

Civil twilight (dawn and dusk) is the period when the sun is between 0° and 6° below the horizon. During civil twilight there is enough natural light for most outdoor activities without artificial lighting. Dawn is civil twilight before sunrise; dusk is civil twilight after sunset.

Question 6

Do sunrise and sunset times change every day?

Accepted Answer

Yes, sunrise and sunset times shift by 1–3 minutes daily as Earth orbits the Sun. The change is fastest around the spring and autumn equinoxes, and slowest near the solstices. Over the course of a year the total shift from shortest to longest day can exceed 6 hours at mid-latitudes.