Blue Hour
Date
Location
45°N
Evening Timeline
Golden HourBlue HourCivil TwilightNight
Morning (Before Sunrise)
Astronomical Dawn
Nautical Dawn
Civil Dawn
Blue Hour Start
Blue Hour End
Sunrise
Golden Hour End
Evening (After Sunset)
Golden Hour Start
Sunset
Blue Hour Start
Blue Hour End
Civil Dusk
Nautical Dusk
Astronomical Dusk
Summary
Blue Hour
Golden Hour
Civil Twilight
Day Length
City Light Balance Guide
Settings for balancing ambient sky with artificial city lights
Early Blue Hour (first 1/3)
Sky still bright; ambient light balances with weak city lights
ISO: 100-400
Aperture: f/8-f/11
Shutter: 1-4 seconds
WB: 6000-6500K
Tip: Best for skyline shots where you want visible sky detail
Peak Blue Hour (middle 1/3)
Perfect balance between ambient sky and artificial lights
ISO: 200-800
Aperture: f/8-f/11
Shutter: 4-15 seconds
WB: 5500-6500K
Tip: Ideal time for cityscapes - sky and lights equally vibrant
Late Blue Hour (last 1/3)
Dark sky, city lights dominant; may need HDR
ISO: 400-1600
Aperture: f/5.6-f/8
Shutter: 10-30 seconds
WB: 4500-5500K
Tip: Great for light trails and reflections; bracket for HDR
Short Blue Hour Warning
Only ~ minutes of blue hour today
Tip: Arrive early and be ready to shoot quickly!
7-Day Outlook
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Blue Hour | Duration |
|---|
Extreme Latitude
At this latitude and date, normal sunrise/sunset cycles may not occur (polar day or polar night).
Twilight Definitions
- Golden Hour: Sun 0-6° above horizon - warm, soft directional light
- Blue Hour: Sun 4-6° below horizon - cool, even light, sky appears blue
- Civil Twilight: Sun 0-6° below - enough light to read outdoors
- Nautical Twilight: Sun 6-12° below - horizon still visible at sea
- Astronomical Twilight: Sun 12-18° below - sky dark enough for astronomy
- Night: Sun more than 18° below - true darkness
Blue Hour Photography Tips
- Tripod essential: Light levels are low; expect 5-30 second exposures
- Arrive early: Scout your location during daylight, set up before blue hour
- Bracket exposures: HDR helps balance bright city lights with dim sky
- Remote shutter: Avoid camera shake during long exposures
- Mirror lock-up: Reduces vibration on DSLRs
- White balance: Try 7000-8000K to enhance blue, or shoot RAW for flexibility
- Timing: Peak blue hour is often the middle third of the period