Solar noon, altitude & azimuth calculator

Insert an example (preset)

Select a location, date, and time to fill the inputs and show the results immediately.

location date

time

Inputs

Location

View on map

Latitude (°) Northern latitude is +, southern latitude is - (-90 to 90)

Longitude (°) East longitude is +, west longitude is - (-180 to 180)

Example: 35.6895, 139.6917. Paste a pair to split it automatically; inputs stay in your browser.

date and time

date

time

time zone

Time zone (IANA / automatic) UTC offset (minutes/arbitrary) If entered, this takes priority. For example, UTC+09:00 is 540 and UTC-04:00 is -240. This is useful when you want to lock the daylight-saving offset manually.

Graph increments (minutes)

How to use (3 steps)

Enter latitude and longitude, date and time, and time zone.
Use "Calculate" to check solar altitude, azimuth, sunrise/sunset, and day length.
Results can be shared with "Copy share link" (no input is sent).

Results

Solar altitude

—

With refraction correction (approximation of standard state)

Solar azimuth

—

North = 0°, East = 90° (clockwise)

sunrise/sunset

— / —

The center of the sun is 0.833° below the horizon (official definition)

Day length

—

h:mm

Solar noon

—

Approximate local solar noon time

Solar noon altitude

—

Maximum solar altitude for the day

Supplementary information (declination, equation of time, hour angle, refraction)

Geometric altitude (without refraction): —
Refractive correction amount (approximate): —
Declination: —
Equation of time: —
Hour angle: —

Solar altitude (displayed) is "geometric altitude + refraction correction amount". *This column is a supplement for study purposes.

Astronomy tools

Find related tools for sunrise, twilight, moon phase, and observing planning.

Open astronomy hub

1 day solar altitude curve

Horizontal axis: local time; vertical axis: solar altitude (°). Vertical lines and dots mark the input times. Trace the graph to read the altitude and direction at that time.

Shared URL contains input status (latitude, longitude, date and time, TZ, etc.).

Assumptions/Definitions/Disclaimers

Azimuth is displayed clockwise with "north = 0°, east = 90°".
Sunrise/sunset is defined as the moment when the center of the sun passes 0.833° below the horizon (including representative values of atmospheric difference and solar radius).
This tool is an approximation using NOAA formulas. Depending on conditions, solar altitude and azimuth may differ by about 0.5 degrees, and sunrise or sunset may differ by several minutes.
Calculation results for educational and guideline purposes. Please do not use it for safety judgment, design, or legal purposes.

FAQ

Which direction is "0°" for solar azimuth?

North is 0° and increases clockwise. East is 90°, south is 180°, and west is 270°.

Why is sunrise/sunset sometimes displayed as "None"?

At high latitudes, depending on the season, there are days when the sun does not set (midnight sun) or does not rise (polar night), in which case sunrise/sunset cannot be defined.

How accurate are the calculation results?

This tool is an approximation based on the NOAA series formulas for general use. Depending on conditions, solar altitude and azimuth may differ by about 0.5 degrees, and sunrise or sunset may differ by several minutes.

Why does the result change when I change the time zone?

Sunrise/sunset etc. are displayed in local time. Even at the same moment, the displayed time will change if the displayed time zone is different.

What should I enter first for solar position?

Start with the nearest city preset or your latitude and longitude, then check solar noon, altitude, azimuth, sunrise, and sunset using the same date, time, and time zone.

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