Golden Hour City

Solar almanac · 2026-11-01 · United States

Golden hour in San Francisco, United States

37.7749° N
122.4194° W
America/Los_Angeles

Times shown in local time for San Francisco (America/Los_Angeles).

Golden hour & blue hour

WindowStartsEnds
Blue hour (morning)05:3706:08
Golden hour (morning)06:3507:12
Golden hour (evening)16:3317:10
Blue hour (evening)17:3718:08

Light profile · calculated

Golden hour in San Francisco through the year

Midsummer
39 min
Equinox
35 min
Midwinter
41 min

Length of the evening golden-hour window.

San Francisco lies at 37.77° N, in the mid-latitudes, where the seasons reshape the light noticeably. Its longest measured day falls on Thu 18 June 2026 with 14h 47m of daylight, and its shortest on Fri 18 December 2026 with 9h 33m — a difference of 5h 14m between the two extremes.

Evening golden hour in San Francisco runs for roughly 39 minutes at the height of summer, 35 minutes around the March equinox and 41 minutes at midwinter. The warm window is actually widest in the colder months, which makes winter evenings unusually forgiving here.

The sun sets toward 301° WNW in late June and toward 241° WSW in late December, a shift of about 60° in where the last light lands — worth checking before committing to a west-facing viewpoint. In San Francisco, the sky reaches full darkness between evening and morning twilight year-round.

Field notes for photographers

Where to shoot golden hour in San Francisco

San Francisco’s hills and bay provide clear separation between foreground streets, water and distant landmarks. Coastal fog can either diffuse golden light beautifully or erase it, so changing conditions are part of the visual character.

  1. 01

    Battery Spencer

    Best for sunrise

    Use the headland slope to anchor the bridge towers and city beyond.

    Sun rises
    108° ESE
    Sun sets
    252° WSW
  2. 02

    Twin Peaks

    Best for sunset

    A medium telephoto helps separate downtown towers from the bay and East Bay hills.

    Sun rises
    108° ESE
    Sun sets
    252° WSW
  3. 03

    Pier 7

    Best for sunrise

    Use the pier railing and lamps as symmetrical lines toward the Bay Bridge.

    Sun rises
    108° ESE
    Sun sets
    252° WSW

Seasonal light. Day length varies moderately, but summer fog and clearer autumn weather often matter as much as the seasonal solar path.

Today’s solar record

−2 min/day

Sunrise
06:35

rises at 108° ESE

Sunset
17:10

sets at 252° WSW

Solar noon
11:53
Day length
10h 36m

Evening golden hour starts at 16:33

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Solar trajectory

Maximum 38°
06:3538° at 11:5317:10
East · sunriseHighest point of the sun today: 38° above the horizon. The shaded band near the horizon is golden-hour light.West · sunset

Twenty-four hours of light

06:35Sunrise11:53Solar noon17:10Sunset
NightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Next 7 days

DateSunriseSunsetDay length
2026-11-0106:3517:1010h 36m
2026-11-0206:3617:0910h 33m
2026-11-0306:3717:0810h 31m
2026-11-0406:3817:0710h 29m
2026-11-0506:3917:0610h 27m
2026-11-0606:4017:0510h 25m
2026-11-0706:4117:0410h 23m

Annual light rhythm · San Francisco

9h 34m—14h 46m
JFMAMJJASOND
Longest days in June (14h 46m), shortest in December (9h 34m).

Questions

When is golden hour in San Francisco today?
Evening golden hour in San Francisco starts at 16:33 and ends at sunset, 17:10. Morning golden hour runs from sunrise, 06:35, until 07:12 local time (America/Los_Angeles).
How long does golden hour last in San Francisco?
Evening golden hour in San Francisco runs from 16:33 to 17:10, and morning golden hour from 06:35 to 07:12.
When is blue hour in San Francisco?
Morning blue hour in San Francisco begins at 05:37, before sunrise. Evening blue hour begins at 17:37, just after sunset.
What time is sunrise in San Francisco today?
Sunrise in San Francisco is at 06:35 local time (America/Los_Angeles), rising toward 108° ESE.
What time is sunset in San Francisco today?
Sunset in San Francisco is at 17:10 local time (America/Los_Angeles), setting toward 252° WSW.
How long is the day in San Francisco?
San Francisco has 10h 36m of daylight today.

Other views for San Francisco

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