Golden Hour City

Solar almanac · 2026-11-01 · United States

Golden hour in New York, United States

40.7128° N
74.0060° W
America/New_York

Times shown in local time for New York (America/New_York).

Golden hour & blue hour

WindowStartsEnds
Blue hour (morning)05:2505:58
Golden hour (morning)06:2607:05
Golden hour (evening)16:1316:52
Blue hour (evening)17:2017:52

Light profile · calculated

Golden hour in New York through the year

Midsummer
41 min
Equinox
36 min
Midwinter
44 min

Length of the evening golden-hour window.

New York lies at 40.71° N, in the mid-latitudes, where the seasons reshape the light noticeably. Its longest measured day falls on Thu 18 June 2026 with 15h 06m of daylight, and its shortest on Sat 19 December 2026 with 9h 15m — a difference of 5h 51m between the two extremes.

Evening golden hour in New York runs for roughly 41 minutes at the height of summer, 36 minutes around the March equinox and 44 minutes at midwinter. The warm window is actually widest in the colder months, which makes winter evenings unusually forgiving here.

The sun sets toward 302° WNW in late June and toward 239° WSW in late December, a shift of about 63° in where the last light lands — worth checking before committing to a west-facing viewpoint. In New York, the sky reaches full darkness between evening and morning twilight year-round.

Field notes for photographers

Where to shoot golden hour in New York

New York’s street canyons, rivers and dense skyline make sun angle as important as time. Seasonal shifts create very different alignments, while waterfront parks give enough distance to simplify the towers.

  1. 01

    Rockefeller Center Plaza

    Best for both

    Use the plaza’s strong axes and surrounding towers to build a graphic urban composition.

    Sun rises
    109° ESE
    Sun sets
    251° WSW
  2. 02

    Brooklyn Bridge Park — Main Street

    Best for sunset

    Use shoreline structures to layer the bridges against lower Manhattan.

    Sun rises
    109° ESE
    Sun sets
    251° WSW
  3. 03

    Washington Street, DUMBO

    Best for sunrise

    Align the Manhattan Bridge arch precisely between the brick façades.

    Sun rises
    109° ESE
    Sun sets
    251° WSW

Seasonal light. Summer gives long waterfront evenings, while winter’s low sun travels deeper along cross streets and creates longer building shadows.

Today’s solar record

−2 min/day

Sunrise
06:26

rises at 109° ESE

Sunset
16:52

sets at 251° WSW

Solar noon
11:39
Day length
10h 26m

Evening golden hour starts at 16:13

Add to calendar

Solar trajectory

Maximum 35°
06:2635° at 11:3916:52
East · sunriseHighest point of the sun today: 35° above the horizon. The shaded band near the horizon is golden-hour light.West · sunset

Twenty-four hours of light

06:26Sunrise11:39Solar noon16:52Sunset
NightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Next 7 days

DateSunriseSunsetDay length
2026-11-0106:2616:5210h 26m
2026-11-0206:2716:5110h 23m
2026-11-0306:2816:4910h 21m
2026-11-0406:2916:4810h 19m
2026-11-0506:3116:4710h 16m
2026-11-0606:3216:4610h 14m
2026-11-0706:3316:4510h 12m

Annual light rhythm · New York

9h 17m—15h 05m
JFMAMJJASOND
Longest days in June (15h 05m), shortest in December (9h 17m).

Questions

When is golden hour in New York today?
Evening golden hour in New York starts at 16:13 and ends at sunset, 16:52. Morning golden hour runs from sunrise, 06:26, until 07:05 local time (America/New_York).
How long does golden hour last in New York?
Evening golden hour in New York runs from 16:13 to 16:52, and morning golden hour from 06:26 to 07:05.
When is blue hour in New York?
Morning blue hour in New York begins at 05:25, before sunrise. Evening blue hour begins at 17:20, just after sunset.
What time is sunrise in New York today?
Sunrise in New York is at 06:26 local time (America/New_York), rising toward 109° ESE.
What time is sunset in New York today?
Sunset in New York is at 16:52 local time (America/New_York), setting toward 251° WSW.
How long is the day in New York?
New York has 10h 26m of daylight today.

Other views for New York

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