How this works
- Sun and moon: the same math as our Golden hour tool (SunCalc 2.0.2, checked against U.S. Naval Observatory tables). Golden hour is the sun from 6° above to 4° below the horizon; blue hour from 4° to 8° below.
- Directions are degrees clockwise from true north (0° north, 90° east). Your compass points to magnetic north, which differs by several degrees in the Northwest, so set your compass for it.
- The dial is the sky seen from your spot: the rim is the horizon, the center is straight up. Solid lines are the sun, dashed lines the moon, the dotted line your target.
- Bearing and distanceto a peak use the great-circle formulas on a round Earth. Its height above a flat horizon is the height difference over the distance, less Earth’s curve (eased by the air bending light a little).
- Lining up:for each day of the next 12 months we find when the top edge of the sun or moon crosses the peak’s height, then compare its direction with the peak’s. Days within 1° count; a run of close days shows its best one. Results say “about” because heights are optional and the horizon is assumed flat.
- Privacy: nothing about your spot leaves your device unless you share a link. The map loads from OpenFreeMap only when you open it.
Sources & last checked
- SunCalc 2.0.2 (BSD-2-Clause license) (opens in a new tab)
The sun and moon math (@ho/sky), run in your browser
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- U.S. Naval Observatory, Astronomical Applications (opens in a new tab)
Sun, moon, and phase tables our times are tested against
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- OpenFreeMap (© OpenMapTiles, data from OpenStreetMap) (opens in a new tab)
The optional map, loaded only when you open it
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Source: SunCalc 2.0.2 (BSD-2-Clause license), U.S. Naval Observatory, Astronomical Applications, OpenFreeMap (© OpenMapTiles, data from OpenStreetMap)last checked
Every source we use is on the Credits page.
Related guides
- Northern Lights Over Washington: When Auroras Reach the PNWWhy solar cycle peak years push auroras down to Washington latitudes, which Kp levels to watch, the best dark-sky spots to try, and camera settings that actually work.
- Take Stunning Outdoor Photos with a SmartphoneSmartphone photography tips for the outdoors: shooting in golden and blue hour, composition rules like leading lines and foreground interest, landscape, wildlife, macro, and night techniques, plus editing apps and cheap accessories that sharpen your results.
- How to Take Better Wildlife & Nature Photos with Basic EquipmentPractical techniques for shooting wildlife and nature with a phone or basic camera: reading light, composition rules, focus and exposure settings, and workflows for birds in action, landscapes, and macro subjects.
About this tool
Plan the shot shows where the sun and moon will rise, set, and sit in the sky from any spot, on any date. Search for a place, use the map, or type coordinates, then pick a date and a time. You’ll see sunrise and sunset with their directions, golden hour and blue hour, moonrise and moonset, the moon’s phase, and exactly where the sun and moon are at the moment you choose.
Want the sun to set behind a peak, or a full moon to rise over a ridge? Pick the peak, and add heights if you know them. The planner searches the next twelve months and lists the days when the sun or moon lines up, with how close each match is.
Everything is calculated in your browser. There’s no account, and the spots you pick stay on your device unless you save or share a plan. The examples come from Pursue Life landscape photographs, shown at the place level so the photographer’s exact spots stay private.