Craving a quick reference for twilight times? Our twilight calculator shows you all three phases – civil, nautical, and astronomical – so you can pick the right darkness level for your needs.
Features of the twilight calculator
One tool, three twilight types – here's what you get:
- All three twilight types: Civil, nautical, and astronomical twilight times all displayed together in perfect gradient descent (uhh, the second definition of that phrase, the one that deals with color)
- Duration for each phase: See how long each twilight period lasts for the location you choose
- Location flexibility: Enter cities worldwide, use GPS detection or device location, or directly enter a latitude and longitude
- Copy all times: Grab any twilight time instantly, paste it wherever (and whenever)
- Full CSV export: Download the complete twilight data math you see in the tool
- Live countdowns: Real-time tracking for all phases
We use SunCalc.js for calculations, and cities.json for location data.
Understanding the three twilight types
As you'd expect, each twilight serves different purposes. Here's a brief overview of what you get at twilight-time:
- Civil Twilight (−6° to 0°): Natural light sufficient for outdoor work without artificial lighting
- Nautical Twilight (−12° to −6°): The horizon visible for navigation, while stars are bright enough for your sextant
- Astronomical Twilight (−18° to −12°): The sky is dark enough for serious astronomy and astrophotography (assuming you can avoid light pollution!)
Need more detail on a specific type? Maybe even a little twilight-type lore and history? Check our dedicated calculators:
- Civil Twilight Calculator - Construction, legal definitions
- Nautical Twilight Calculator - Maritime navigation, blue hour photography
- Astronomical Twilight Calculator - Deep-sky observation, astrophotography
Twilight duration by location
Twilight length varies dramatically by latitude:
- Equatorial regions: Quick transitions, ~20-28 minutes per phase
- Mid-latitudes: Moderate twilight, 30-45 minutes each
- High latitudes: Extended twilight, can last hours or even never end in summer
- Polar regions: Weeks of continuous twilight during summer months
Use our day/night world map to see live twilight zones across the globe.
Related tools
- Sunrise Sunset Calculator - Basic sun times and golden hour
- Golden Hour Calculator - Photography timing
- Blue Hour Calculator - Evening photography light
- Sun Angle Calculator - Precise solar positions
- Moon Phase Calculator - Lunar cycle tracking
- Solar Tracker Map - Real-time sun position
- Daylight Hours Graph - Annual light patterns
- Sun Path Diagram - Visual sun trajectory
- World Clock - Global time coordination
- Hours Between Times - Duration calculations
No more guessing which darkness level you actually need – DQYDJ delivers the darkness. Hope this tool was whatever the opposite of illuminating is!
