Sunrise and sunset calculator

Sunrise and sunset times depend on your latitude, longitude and the date. This calculator uses the standard NOAA solar-position method: it works out the sun's declination and the equation of time for the day, then finds the hour angle at which the centre of the sun sits 0.833 degrees below the horizon, which allows for atmospheric refraction and the sun's radius. From that it returns sunrise, sunset, solar noon and the length of the day. Pick a UK city or enter your own coordinates. Times are shown in your local zone, so British Summer Time is already applied.

Choose a UK city for ready-made coordinates, or type your own latitude and longitude, then pick a date. The result is accurate to about a minute for UK latitudes.

Place and date

UK place (or type your own coordinates below) Custom coordinates LondonManchesterBirminghamEdinburghCardiffBelfastInverness Latitude Longitude Date

Calculate sunrise and sunset

How this is worked out

The tool uses the standard NOAA solar-position method, the same astronomical formula behind most almanacs.

solar declination + equation of time from the day of year
hour angle where the sun centre sits 0.833 degrees below the horizon
sunrise = solar noon − hour angle, sunset = solar noon + hour angle
the 0.833 degrees allows for atmospheric refraction and the sun's radius

Results are accurate to about a minute for normal UK latitudes and are shown in your device's local time, so British Summer Time is already applied. For the authoritative UK figures, HM Nautical Almanac Office publishes official rise and set tables.

For the moon as well as the sun, see the moon-phase calculator, or browse the full calculator set.

Method: standard NOAA solar-position formula. For authoritative UK figures, HM Nautical Almanac Office publishes official rise and set tables.