The Blue Hour Calculator finds the magical blue hour times when the sun is between -6° and -4° below the horizon, creating even, diffused light without harsh shadows – perfect for certain types of photography. Enter any location to see today's blue hour and peak blue hour times, or plan ahead for that perfect shot.
Blue hour calculator features
Enter your location in the Location input field. Optionally, you can change the Date as well (otherwise it defaults to today).
The tool will calculate:
- Morning Blue Hour: From dawn (-6°) to -4° elevation before sunrise
- Evening Blue Hour: From -4° to dusk (-6°) after sunset
- Peak Blue Hour: The 'peak' of a blue hour, when the sun is at -5° elevation
- Sun Position Tracking: On the left of the status bar, see a live sun azimuth and elevation display
- Sunrise and Sunset: Quick reference for the sunrise and sunset (sun above or below the horizon, for the first time in a day) for your chosen location and date.
- Live Countdown: Real-time countdown to next blue hour when viewing today
What is blue hour?
Blue hour is the brief period of twilight (which technically isn't usually an hour!) when the sun is below the horizon and the sky takes on a deep blue color. During these times, the atmosphere scatters blue light in a way you can see it even after direct sunlight is gone. The quality of light during blue hour is prized by photographers for its even illumination, natural color balance, and for facilitating longer exposure photography. It's also a beautiful time of day, too, of course.
Blue hour vs golden hour
Golden hour bathes everything in warm light, while blue hour offers cooler tones and more dramatic contrasts. The classical distinction is "golden hour is for portraits, blue hour is for cityscapes" but your mileage may vary!
- Golden Hour: Sun between -4° and +6° in relation to the horizon (warm, directional light)
- Blue Hour: Sun between -6° and -4° in relation to the horizon (cool, diffused light)
Related sun and time tools
- Golden Hour Calculator - Find the magic hour for warm photography light
- Sunrise Sunset Calculator - Complete sun timing data with annual graphs
- World Clock Tool - Track time and daylight across multiple locations
- Hours Between Times Calculator - Plan your photography schedule
Blue hour calculator methodology
This calculator uses the SunCalc library to compute sun positions based on location and date. Times are calculated in the browser using your device's timezone settings.
