Edinburgh, UK • 56.58° N, -2.56° E

Sunrise & Sunset in Edinburgh Today

Q: What is the exact solar noon in Edinburgh?

Solar noon in Edinburgh occurs when the sun crosses the local celestial meridian (-2.56° E) and reaches its maximum angular elevation above the horizon. Because Edinburgh operates on Europe/London, solar noon typically occurs around mid-day, adjusted for the seasonal Equation of Time.

Q: How does atmospheric refraction affect sunrise and sunset in Edinburgh?

At latitude 56.58°, standard atmospheric refraction lifts the apparent image of the solar disc by approximately 34 arcminutes (0.566°). Combined with the sun’s 16 arcminute semidiameter, official sunrise and sunset are calculated when the center of the true solar disc is 90°50′ from the zenith.

Q: When are the golden hour shooting windows in Edinburgh?

The morning golden hour begins at sunrise and lasts for approximately 60 minutes as the sun climbs to 6° solar elevation. The evening golden hour begins 60 minutes before sunset and concludes as the sun dips below the horizon, providing warm, diffused lighting ideal for outdoor photography.

Welcome to the definitive solar ephemeris for Edinburgh (UK), situated at geographic coordinates 56.5833° N latitude and -2.5583° E longitude within the Europe/London timezone. Because Edinburgh is positioned at mid-latitude coordinates, daylight duration fluctuates predictably throughout the solar year—reaching its maximum duration during the June solstice and its annual minimum near the December solstice.

All timestamps displayed below are computed using client-side spherical astronomy algorithms derived from the U.S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Almanac 2024 and the NOAA Solar Calculator, accounting for standard 34-arcminute atmospheric refraction and 16-arcminute solar semidiameter at sea level.

Sunrise & Sunset in Edinburgh, UK

US Naval Observatory (USNO) Astronomical Almanac 2024 p.C24 & NOAA Solar Model

Formulacos(H) = (cos(90.833°) - sin(δ)·sin(φ)) / (cos(δ)·cos(φ))

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Date

Sunrise

04:20 AM

Official Horizon (90°50′)

Sunset

08:10 PM

Official Horizon (90°50′)

Solar Noon

12:15 PM

Highest solar culmination

Day Length

15h 51m

Golden Hour Photographic Windows (Sun < 6° Elevation)

Morning Golden Hour

04:20 AM – 05:20 AM

Warm dawn sidelight for landscapes

Evening Golden Hour

07:10 PM – 08:10 PM

Soft sunset illumination for portraits

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7-Day Solar Forecast for Edinburgh

Updated daily

Date	Sunrise	Solar Noon	Sunset	Daylight	Golden Hr (Eve)
Thu, Aug 6Today	04:20 AM	12:15 PM	08:10 PM	15h 51m	07:10 PM – 08:10 PM
Fri, Aug 7	04:22 AM	12:15 PM	08:08 PM	15h 47m	07:08 PM – 08:08 PM
Sat, Aug 8	04:24 AM	12:15 PM	08:06 PM	15h 42m	07:06 PM – 08:06 PM
Sun, Aug 9	04:26 AM	12:15 PM	08:04 PM	15h 38m	07:04 PM – 08:04 PM
Mon, Aug 10	04:28 AM	12:15 PM	08:01 PM	15h 34m	07:01 PM – 08:01 PM
Tue, Aug 11	04:30 AM	12:14 PM	07:59 PM	15h 30m	06:59 PM – 07:59 PM
Wed, Aug 12	04:32 AM	12:14 PM	07:57 PM	15h 25m	06:57 PM – 07:57 PM

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q1.What is the exact solar noon in Edinburgh?

Solar noon in Edinburgh occurs when the sun crosses the local celestial meridian (-2.56° E) and reaches its maximum angular elevation above the horizon. Because Edinburgh operates on Europe/London, solar noon typically occurs around mid-day, adjusted for the seasonal Equation of Time.

Q2.How does atmospheric refraction affect sunrise and sunset in Edinburgh?

At latitude 56.58°, standard atmospheric refraction lifts the apparent image of the solar disc by approximately 34 arcminutes (0.566°). Combined with the sun’s 16 arcminute semidiameter, official sunrise and sunset are calculated when the center of the true solar disc is 90°50′ from the zenith.

Q3.When are the golden hour shooting windows in Edinburgh?

The morning golden hour begins at sunrise and lasts for approximately 60 minutes as the sun climbs to 6° solar elevation. The evening golden hour begins 60 minutes before sunset and concludes as the sun dips below the horizon, providing warm, diffused lighting ideal for outdoor photography.

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