Solar Position Calculator
Choose a city or enter coordinates to see where the Sun is in the sky and when it rises and sets. Useful for planning photos, solar panels and observing sessions.
Solar position
Where the Sun is, and when it rises and sets, for any place and time.
North positive, south negative.
East positive, west negative.
Pakistan Standard Time is UTC+5, with no daylight saving.
Choose a date and time to see where the Sun is.
How this is calculated
- 1
Declination and equation of time
Following the NOAA solar calculator, the Sun's apparent longitude and the tilt of the Earth's axis give its declination, sin δ = sin ε sin λ. The equation of time, up to about 16 minutes either way, is the gap between sundial time and clock time.
- 2
Hour angle
True solar time is UTC plus 4 minutes per degree of longitude east, plus the equation of time. The hour angle H is that time divided by 4, minus 180°, so it is 0° at solar noon.
- 3
Elevation and azimuth
sin(elevation) = sin φ sin δ + cos φ cos δ cos H, where φ is the latitude. A refraction correction then lifts the Sun slightly, by about half a degree at the horizon. Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north.
- 4
Rise, set and twilight
Sunrise and sunset are when the Sun's centre is 0.833° below the horizon, which allows for refraction and the Sun's radius. Civil twilight ends when it reaches 6° below. Each time is refined a few times as the Sun moves.
Frequently asked questions
What time is sunrise and sunset today?
Pick your city and the calculator shows today's sunrise, sunset, solar noon and day length in Pakistan Standard Time. The times assume a flat horizon, so mountains or tall buildings can delay sunrise by several minutes.
What is the difference between elevation and azimuth?
Elevation is how high the Sun is above the horizon, from 0° at the horizon to 90° straight overhead. Azimuth is its compass direction, measured clockwise from true north: 90° is east, 180° south and 270° west.
Why is solar noon not at 12 o'clock?
Clock time is set for a whole time zone, while solar noon depends on your exact longitude and on the equation of time, which shifts it by up to about 16 minutes through the year.
What is civil twilight?
The period when the Sun is between 0° and 6° below the horizon. There is still enough light to see clearly outdoors, and the brightest stars and planets begin to appear.