Weather & maps / Sun
Sun Angle Calculator: Sun Elevation and Azimuth for Any Place and Time
Find the sun's elevation above the horizon and its azimuth, the compass direction, for any place, date, and local time, with the day's highest point and a chart of the sun's path, for solar panels, photography, and gardening.
Sun Angle Calculator: Sun Elevation and Azimuth for Any Place and Time: The position comes from the NOAA solar equations: the sun's declination and the equation of time give its hour angle at your longitude, and from your latitude the elevation and azimuth follow, with a correction for atmospheric refraction. In London on 21 June the sun climbs to about 62° at around 13:00 local time, due south. Runs 100% locally in your browser with zero server file uploads.
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- Everyday tools
- Runs
- In your browser
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- Free · no sign-up
- Availability
- Ready to use
Runs entirely in your browser
Place: London, United Kingdom · 51.51° N, 0.13° W · Europe/London
The position uses the NOAA solar equations: elevation is the sun's height above the horizon, corrected for the atmosphere's refraction, and azimuth its compass direction measured clockwise from true north. Times are local to the place you choose. For solar panels, the best fixed tilt is roughly your latitude; for photos, low elevations give long, warm light.
Using it
Photographers look for low elevations, under about 10°, for warm light and long shadows; gardeners check how high the winter sun gets over a fence; and the best fixed tilt for solar panels is roughly your latitude.
Sunrise and sunset
For sunrise, sunset, and the golden and blue hours, see sunrise and sunset.
How to use it
- Choose a city, use your location, or type coordinates.
- Pick the date and local time.
- Read the elevation and azimuth, and see the day's path.
Privacy & limitations
Calculated in your browser; your location is saved only on this device.
Related tools
Frequently asked questions
What are elevation and azimuth?
Elevation is the sun's angle above the horizon, from 0° at sunrise to 90° straight overhead; azimuth is its compass direction, measured clockwise from north, so 90° is east and 180° south.
Why is the highest point not at 12:00?
Solar noon depends on your longitude within the time zone, the equation of time, and summer time, so it can be an hour or more away from 12:00.
How accurate is it?
Within about a minute of arc for dates near the present, which is far more precise than needed for planning panels or photos.
Free tool · runs in your browser · no account required