Understanding when the sun will rise and set is a question that has intrigued humanity for centuries. Whether you’re planning your day, scheduling outdoor activities, or simply curious about the natural world, knowing the sunrise and sunset times can be incredibly useful. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides tools to easily calculate these times for any location worldwide. This guide will walk you through how to use the NOAA Sunrise/Sunset Calculator to find out exactly what time the sun will rise.
Understanding Sunrise and Sunset Calculations
Sunrise and sunset times are not fixed; they change daily based on your location on Earth and the time of year. These times are determined by a complex interplay of factors, including:
- Latitude and Longitude: Your geographical position on Earth significantly impacts the length of daylight hours and the specific times of sunrise and sunset.
- Time Zone: Different time zones are established to standardize time across regions, affecting how sunrise and sunset are observed locally.
- Date: As the Earth orbits the sun and tilts on its axis, the length of days varies throughout the year, leading to changing sunrise and sunset times.
To accurately calculate these times, tools like the NOAA Solar Calculator take these variables into account, providing precise information for your specific location and date.
How to Find Out What Time the Sun Rises with NOAA’s Calculator
NOAA offers a user-friendly online tool to calculate sunrise and sunset times. While they have an updated version, this guide focuses on the classic, yet still functional, original NOAA Solar Calculator. Here’s how to use it:
Step-by-Step Guide to the Original NOAA Sunrise/Sunset Calculator
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Location Selection:
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Using the City Menu: The easiest way is to select a location from the “City” dropdown menu. Simply scroll through the list and choose the city closest to your location. The calculator will automatically populate the latitude, longitude, and time zone fields for that city.
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Manual Entry (Latitude/Longitude): If your specific location isn’t listed, or for more precise calculations, choose “Enter Lat/Long –>” from the “City” menu. This will allow you to manually input your location’s latitude, longitude, and time zone. You can find these coordinates using online mapping services or GPS devices.
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Coordinate Conventions: Remember that this older version of the calculator uses a specific convention:
- Longitude: Positive values are for the Western Hemisphere, and negative values for the Eastern Hemisphere.
- Latitude: Positive values are for the Northern Hemisphere, and negative values for the Southern Hemisphere.
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Degrees, Minutes, Seconds, or Decimal Degrees: You can enter latitude and longitude in degrees/minutes/seconds, or simply use decimal degrees in the “Deg:” field.
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Time Zone and Daylight Saving Time:
- If you selected a city, the time zone associated with its Local Standard Time will be automatically entered.
- To manually adjust the time zone, again, select “Enter Lat/Long –>” from the City dropdown.
- If Daylight Saving Time (DST) is in effect, select “Yes” for “Daylight Saving.” This will adjust the calculated sunrise and sunset times forward by one hour to account for DST. If you’re unsure about the time zone, NOAA provides a Time Zone Table (link in the original document) for reference.
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Date Input:
- The calculator defaults to the current date based on your computer’s system settings. The month, day, and year fields will be pre-filled.
- To calculate sunrise and sunset times for a different date, use the month dropdown menu and enter the desired day and four-digit year in the respective boxes.
- After changing the date, remember to click the “Calculate Sunrise/Sunset” button to update the results for the new date.
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Calculate and View Results:
- Once you have entered your location, time zone, and date, click the “Calculate Sunrise/Sunset” button.
- The calculator will display the sunrise, sunset, and solar noon times for your specified location and date.
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Printing Results:
- If you need a physical copy of the results, you can use your web browser’s “Print” function to print the displayed information.
Special Considerations for Polar Regions
For locations within the Arctic and Antarctic Circles (latitudes greater than 72 degrees N and S), there are periods when the sun may not rise or set daily. In these cases, the NOAA calculator is designed to provide additional information:
- If a sunrise or sunset does not occur on the given day, the calculator will determine the local time and date of the most recent sunrise or sunset, and the next upcoming sunset or sunrise.
- When this happens, the UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) fields in the results will display “prior” or “next” information instead of specific UTC times.
It’s also important to note that calculation accuracy slightly decreases at very high latitudes. For latitudes greater than 72 degrees North or South, the accuracy is within approximately 10 minutes, while for latitudes less than +/- 72°, the accuracy improves to about one minute. For more technical details, you can refer to NOAA’s Solar Calculation Details (link in the original document).
Beyond the Old Calculator: Exploring Updated Tools
While this guide has focused on the original NOAA Solar Calculator, NOAA also offers an updated version. The updated calculator may offer a more modern interface and potentially enhanced features. It’s worth exploring for potentially improved user experience and accuracy.
Department of Commerce Seal: Official logo representing the source of the NOAA Sunrise/Sunset Calculator.
Conclusion: Always Know What Time the Sun Will Rise
Knowing what time the sun will rise is more than just a matter of curiosity; it’s practical information for planning and understanding our environment. The NOAA Sunrise/Sunset Calculator, whether you use the classic version detailed here or explore the updated tool, provides a reliable and accessible way to get this information for anywhere on Earth. So, the next time you need to know “What Time Does The Sun Rise?”, you’ll have the tools and knowledge to find out quickly and accurately.
NOAA Emblem: The official logo of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the provider of the Sunrise/Sunset Calculator.
