Today, Saturday, October 3, 2026, golden hour in the United Kingdom runs from 07:04 to 07:48 in the morning (45 min) and from 17:49 to 18:33 in the evening (45 min), in local time (based on London). Blue hour follows, from 18:54 to 19:19.
Golden hour and blue hour today
It's night now
Today's timeline
| Event | Time | Sun elevation |
|---|---|---|
| Morning blue hour begins | 06:18 | −8° |
| Morning blue hour ends | 06:43 | −4° |
| Sunrise: morning golden hour begins | 07:04 | −0.8° |
| Morning golden hour ends | 07:48 | +6° |
| Solar noon | 12:49 | highest of the day |
| Evening golden hour begins | 17:49 | +6° |
| Sunset: evening golden hour ends | 18:33 | −0.8° |
| Evening blue hour begins | 18:54 | −4° |
| Evening blue hour ends | 19:19 | −8° |
Next 7 days
| Date | Golden morning | Golden evening | Blue morning | Blue evening | Golden (evening) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Oct 3 | 07:04 – 07:48 | 17:49 – 18:33 | 06:18 – 06:43 | 18:54 – 19:19 | 45 min |
| Sun, Oct 4 | 07:05 – 07:50 | 17:46 – 18:31 | 06:19 – 06:45 | 18:52 – 19:17 | 45 min |
| Mon, Oct 5 | 07:07 – 07:52 | 17:44 – 18:29 | 06:21 – 06:47 | 18:49 – 19:15 | 45 min |
| Tue, Oct 6 | 07:09 – 07:54 | 17:42 – 18:27 | 06:22 – 06:48 | 18:47 – 19:13 | 45 min |
| Wed, Oct 7 | 07:10 – 07:55 | 17:39 – 18:24 | 06:24 – 06:50 | 18:45 – 19:11 | 45 min |
| Thu, Oct 8 | 07:12 – 07:57 | 17:37 – 18:22 | 06:26 – 06:52 | 18:43 – 19:08 | 45 min |
| Fri, Oct 9 | 07:14 – 07:59 | 17:35 – 18:20 | 06:27 – 06:53 | 18:40 – 19:06 | 45 min |
How long golden hour lasts in the United Kingdom through the year
At 51.51° N, 0.13° W, the evening golden hour is longest in December (61 minutes around the 15th) and shortest in March (44 minutes). Today the Sun climbs from the horizon to 6° in 45 minutes, which is about 9.1° of elevation per hour; on the equator at an equinox that rate is close to 15° per hour. The farther the rate falls below 15°, the longer the soft light lasts.
| Month | Sunrise | Golden morning | Golden evening | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 07:59 | 57 min | 57 min | 16:20 |
| February | 07:14 | 48 min | 48 min | 17:15 |
| March | 06:14 | 44 min | 44 min | 18:05 |
| April | 06:05 | 45 min | 45 min | 19:57 |
| May | 05:08 | 50 min | 50 min | 20:45 |
| June | 04:42 | 54 min | 54 min | 21:19 |
| July | 05:00 | 52 min | 52 min | 21:11 |
| August | 05:45 | 47 min | 46 min | 20:23 |
| September | 06:35 | 44 min | 44 min | 19:15 |
| October | 07:24 | 46 min | 46 min | 18:07 |
| November | 07:18 | 54 min | 54 min | 16:11 |
| December | 07:59 | 61 min | 61 min | 15:51 |
Making the most of golden hour in the United Kingdom today
- Evening: be in position by 17:24, 25 minutes before the window opens at 17:49. Sunset is at 18:33, and blue hour keeps going until 19:19.
- Morning: the light is cooler and the air usually cleaner. The window opens at sunrise (07:04) and lasts until 07:48.
- Avoid solar noon (12:49), when the Sun is highest, shadows are short and contrast is harsh.
- Shoot with the Sun behind or beside the subject for a glow, and expose for the highlights. More tips are on the golden hour guide.
Time zone and coordinates
All times are calculated astronomically for London (51.51° N, 0.13° W) and shown in the local time zone (Europe/London, UTC+1). Golden hour is defined here as the period from sunrise until the Sun is 6° above the horizon and from 6° until sunset, and blue hour as the Sun between 4° and 8° below the horizon. Other cities in the United Kingdom differ by about 4 minutes per degree of longitude and by their latitude. In countries that span several time zones, the clock time also depends on the zone. Values are accurate to within about a minute and do not account for mountains, buildings or clouds.
See also
- Sunrise and sunset in the United Kingdom
- Current time in the United Kingdom
- Golden hour in every state and country
- Moon phase today · Longest day of the year · Shortest day of the year
Other places
Coordinates used: 51.51° N, 0.13° W