Outdoor Event Shade Planner
Compare sun and shade by hour for an outdoor ceremony, market, sports area or seating plan.
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 →
Plan the light for your gathering.
Choose the hours your guests will be here. Counts distinguish modeled shade during daylight from time after dark.
One receiving point, Europe/Lisbon. Two-minute midpoint samples. Weather and unmodeled obstructions are not included.
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.
Outdoor Event Sun and Shade Planner
An event can move from comfortable shade to direct afternoon sun during a single program. This planner lets you mark seating or activity areas, add the structures and trees that matter, and replay the event window before setup day.
Use this when: Use this when the primary question is moving shade across event zones during a scheduled outdoor program.
Inputs this tool uses
- A specific guest, stage or seating point with date and local time zone.
- Start and end of the event interval in local civil time.
- Measured nearby screens, plus separate scenes for other seating points.
What this tool calculates
- Solar direction and altitude throughout the event date
- Moving shade from opaque buildings, walls and temporary screens
- Tree-labeled opaque screen approximation with explicit height and width
- Direct-sun duration at the selected point
How the estimate is made
The event interval checks modeled direct sun using two-minute midpoint intervals and the selected point’s obstruction geometry. It distinguishes sunlit and blocked or below-horizon time. Open-horizon daylight alone cannot identify the shaded side of a venue.
How to use it
- 01
Mark each critical zone
Test guest seating, stage, food service and queues separately because a few metres can change the result.
- 02
Add verified shade sources
Model verified vertical screens with known dimensions. Check overhead canopies separately; a wall screen is not a canopy.
- 03
Replay the full program
Start before guest arrival and continue through breakdown. Check a backup date if one exists.
Worked example
For a one-hour ceremony, inspect both the start and finish even when the middle appears shaded. A moving screen-shadow edge can cross the seats during the interval. Save separate scenes for the aisle and the audience.
How to read the result
Moving edge
The most useful output is often the time a shadow boundary crosses a critical area, not the daily total.
Safety context
Shade geometry does not measure heat index, UV dose, wind loading or structural canopy safety. Evaluate those separately.
What to do next
Save the date and point, export the scene assumptions and check the venue at a comparable solar angle before fixing the layout. Use current weather and UV information separately.
Limits you should know
- Vertical screens do not represent fabric transmission, umbrellas or overhead canopies accurately.
- The selected interval estimates geometric exposure; it does not calculate temperature, UV or thermal comfort.
- Temporary crowds, vehicles and movable equipment are not imported automatically.
Questions about this calculator
Can I use this for a wedding ceremony?
Yes. Place separate points for the couple, guests and photographer, then replay the ceremony window on the planned date.
Does this calculate UV or temperature?
No. SunCarta calculates direct-sun geometry. Use a local weather and UV forecast near the event date for health and comfort planning.
Methodology version 2.0 · Reviewed September 18, 2026