Sunrise and Sunset Today – Times for Your City
Today's sunrise and sunset times for your city, with day length, solar noon and twilight – plus answers to the most common questions.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sunrise & Sunset
Where in the world does the sun rise first? The sun rises first in the easternmost inhabited places on Earth. The Chatham Islands (New Zealand) and parts of Samoa are among the first to see sunrise each day, shortly after midnight UTC. In terms of major cities, Tokyo, Sydney and Auckland are typically among the earliest.
Why do sunrise and sunset times differ by city? Sunrise and sunset times vary because of a city's geographic longitude (east-west position) and latitude (north-south position), as well as the time of year. Cities further east see the sun earlier. Cities at higher latitudes experience much longer summer days and shorter winter days than cities near the equator.
What is the difference between local sunrise time and 'your time'? Local sunrise time shows when the sun rises according to the city's own time zone. 'Your time' converts that moment into your current local time zone, so you can instantly see how many hours away it is for you personally.
What is the golden hour and when does it occur? The golden hour is the short period just after sunrise and just before sunset when sunlight is soft, warm and reddish-orange. It is highly sought after by photographers and filmmakers. It typically lasts 20–60 minutes and its exact timing depends on the season and latitude of the location.
Which city has the earliest sunset in winter? In winter (December in the Northern Hemisphere), cities at very high latitudes such as Reykjavik, Helsinki or Anchorage experience the earliest sunsets – sometimes as early as 3 pm local time. Near the Arctic Circle, the sun may not rise at all during polar night.
How accurate are the sunrise and sunset times shown? The times are calculated using established astronomical algorithms (NOAA solar position formulas) based on the exact geographic coordinates and time zone of each city. They are accurate to within one minute under standard atmospheric conditions.