Solar Noon Times Worldwide
Solar noon is the moment when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky and shadows are at their shortest. It does not occur at 12:00 clock time because time zones and Earth's elliptical orbit cause the solar day to vary. Below are today's solar noon times for 20 major cities worldwide (Saturday, March 7).
Today's Solar Noon: Saturday, March 7
| City | Sunrise | Solar Noon | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| New YorkUnited States | 06:23 | 12:08 | 17:53 |
| LondonUnited Kingdom | 06:34 | 12:13 | 17:51 |
| ParisFrance | 07:22 | 13:03 | 18:43 |
| TokyoJapan | 06:05 | 11:54 | 17:42 |
| SydneyAustralia | 06:48 | 13:07 | 19:26 |
| DubaiUnited Arab Emirates | 06:37 | 12:31 | 18:25 |
| SingaporeSingapore | 07:14 | 13:17 | 19:20 |
| IstanbulTurkey | 07:30 | 13:16 | 19:02 |
| TorontoCanada | 06:47 | 12:30 | 18:13 |
| Los AngelesUnited States | 06:16 | 12:05 | 17:54 |
| ChicagoUnited States | 06:19 | 12:03 | 17:47 |
| BerlinGermany | 06:41 | 12:18 | 17:56 |
| MoscowRussia | 07:07 | 12:42 | 18:16 |
| BeijingChina | 06:40 | 12:26 | 18:13 |
| MumbaiIndia | 06:55 | 12:51 | 18:47 |
| Rio de JaneiroBrazil | 05:52 | 12:05 | 18:18 |
| CairoEgypt | 06:16 | 12:07 | 17:59 |
| JohannesburgSouth Africa | 06:06 | 12:20 | 18:34 |
| Mexico CityMexico | 06:53 | 12:49 | 18:44 |
| Buenos AiresArgentina | 06:46 | 13:06 | 19:26 |
What is Solar Noon?
Solar noon is the moment when the sun reaches its highest elevation angle above the horizon. At this precise moment, the sun is due south in the northern hemisphere and due north in the southern hemisphere. Shadows are at their absolute shortest for the day.
Why Solar Noon is Not at 12:00
Clock time is standardized across large geographic areas (time zones), but solar time is specific to each meridian. A single timezone can span 15 degrees or more of longitude, meaning the sun reaches its peak at different clock times across the zone. At the eastern edge of a timezone, solar noon might be at 11:30 AM clock time; at the western edge, it might be 12:30 PM.
A second factor is the equation of time: Earth's elliptical orbit means solar days are not exactly 24 hours long. They vary by up to 16 minutes throughout the year. The equation of time accumulates into a repeating annual pattern, shifting solar noon earlier or later relative to clock noon.
Solar Noon and Photography
Solar noon produces the harshest, most overhead light of the day, which is generally unflattering for portraits and landscapes. However, it creates interesting straight-down shadows for architectural and urban photography. The 2 to 3 hours before and after solar noon are optimal for most photography work.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is solar noon?
- Solar noon is the moment when the sun reaches its highest elevation angle above the horizon. At solar noon, the sun is due south (northern hemisphere) or due north (southern hemisphere), and shadows are at their shortest.
- Why is solar noon not at 12:00?
- Solar noon differs from clock noon because time zones cover large geographic areas, and Earth's elliptical orbit causes small daily variations. The difference can be up to 30 minutes in either direction.
- Is solar noon the hottest time of day?
- No. Solar noon is the most intense sun, but peak temperature is typically 2 to 3 hours later. Earth continues warming after solar noon until heat loss exceeds solar gain.