Golden Hour Map
Find the Sun’s direction during modeled golden-hour windows, then search an alignment by azimuth, elevation and angular tolerance.
Solar times, the sky view and date controls remain available.
Light on this day
Europe/Lisbon · Select any event to move the map to that instant. Times are displayed to the minute; selection keeps the calculated instant.
Sunrise and sunset use an open horizon and atmospheric refraction. Dawn/dusk use the sun’s center at −6°, −12° and −18°. Golden light uses −4° to +6°: a planning convention, not a weather forecast. Calculation notes →
Your light windows
Golden hour is defined here by the sun’s geometric elevation between −4° and +6°. Atmospheric conditions change the appearance of the light.
A different season. A different light.
Keep your place and jump through the year.
Find your alignment.
Choose what you want to see from Lisbon, Portugal.
1 Choose your target
The pin is where you stand. Mark the landmark or direction you want the sun to line up with.
2 Choose the light
Set precise angles and tolerance
3 Pick your date range
Select a map target first, or open precise angles to enter a direction.
The target sets a compass direction, not the height of a landmark. Windows show when the Sun’s center is within the selected angular tolerance. Terrain, buildings and weather are not included in this alignment search. Near-horizon geometry is not a guarantee of a visible sunrise.
Golden Hour Map and Sun Direction Planner
Golden hour is a useful shorthand, not a fixed sixty-minute block. SunCarta shows solar altitude and direction continuously, allowing photographers to inspect when low-angle light reaches the actual side of a subject or location.
Use this when: Use this when the primary question is low-angle light for a photograph, facade or landscape subject at a chosen time.
Inputs this tool uses
- Observer coordinates, local date and IANA time zone.
- Optional target pin, target elevation and tolerance of 0.25°, 0.5°, 1° or 3°.
- Verified screens when nearby objects obstruct the chosen direction.
What this tool calculates
- Geometric golden-window event times when crossings exist
- Solar azimuth and elevation at the selected instant
- Candidate alignment times within the chosen angular tolerance
- Standard open-horizon sunrise and sunset
How the estimate is made
Golden windows use geometric solar-center crossings from −4° to +6° in the morning and +6° to −4° in the evening. Align searches coarse ten-minute samples and refines local minima using a local angular approximation. A target pin supplies bearing, not a guarantee of terrain visibility.
How to use it
- 01
Place the subject
Mark the portrait position, building facade or landscape foreground rather than the parking area.
- 02
Aim the shot
Set an observer and optional target pin, then compare the target bearing with the solar azimuth.
- 03
Scrub near the horizon
Move through the period before sunset or after sunrise and watch which obstructions intercept the light.
Worked example
A subject due west suggests a target azimuth of 270°. Set a small positive elevation and a 1° tolerance, then inspect each returned time and its actual local date. The Sun need not cross due west on every date.
How to read the result
Low solar altitude
A lower angle generally produces longer shadows and warmer atmospheric color, but weather and air quality control the final appearance.
Front, side or back light
Define camera direction as camera-to-subject. A similar solar azimuth places the sun beyond the subject for back light; about 90° gives side light and about 180° puts the sun behind the photographer.
What to do next
Open a result, inspect the Sky view and nearby blockers, then export the day’s events to your calendar. Check weather separately before traveling.
Limits you should know
- Golden hour is a geometric convention, not a promise of sky color, cloud gaps or visibility.
- Some golden and twilight events do not occur at high latitudes.
- Alignment search uses coarse sampling and local refinement; inspect the candidates rather than assuming every possible match is found.
Questions about this calculator
Is golden hour exactly one hour?
No. Its duration depends on latitude, season and the altitude range a photographer uses. SunCarta exposes the underlying angle instead of imposing one duration.
Can I plan a backlit photo?
Yes. Set the point and date, then compare the solar direction with the direction from camera to subject.
Methodology version 2.0 · Reviewed September 18, 2026