Sunrise
Jingshan Park
Area: North of the Forbidden City
A high eastern view over roofs; pollution or closed gates can remove the distant scene.
A city-focused calendar of blue hour, golden hour, sunrise, sunset and moon phase for planning dawn, dusk, cityscape and travel shoots in Beijing.
| Date | Blue hour | Golden hour | Sunrise | Sunset | Tonight's Moon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-19 | 05:59-06:26 / 17:30-17:58 | 06:26-07:03 / 16:54-17:30 | 06:26 | 17:30 | First Quarter 55% |
| 2026-10-20 | 06:00-06:28 / 17:29-17:56 | 06:28-07:05 / 16:52-17:29 | 06:28 | 17:29 | Waxing Gibbous 64% |
| 2026-10-21 | 06:01-06:29 / 17:28-17:55 | 06:29-07:06 / 16:51-17:28 | 06:29 | 17:28 | Waxing Gibbous 73% |
| 2026-10-22 | 06:02-06:30 / 17:26-17:54 | 06:30-07:07 / 16:49-17:26 | 06:30 | 17:26 | Waxing Gibbous 82% |
| 2026-10-23 | 06:03-06:31 / 17:25-17:52 | 06:31-07:08 / 16:48-17:25 | 06:31 | 17:25 | Waxing Gibbous 89% |
| 2026-10-24 | 06:04-06:32 / 17:23-17:51 | 06:32-07:09 / 16:46-17:23 | 06:32 | 17:23 | Waxing Gibbous 95% |
| 2026-10-25 | 06:05-06:33 / 17:22-17:50 | 06:33-07:11 / 16:45-17:22 | 06:33 | 17:22 | Waxing Gibbous 99% |
Today the Sun rises from East (102°) and sets toward West (258°); choose the foreground by direction before timing the shot.
Daylight in Beijing is shrinking by about 18 minutes week over week; today lasts about 11h 04m.
Today’s morning/evening golden-hour windows in Beijing are about 37 / 37 minutes.
Across these seven days, 2026-10-25 has the brightest moon (99%), while 2026-10-19 is darkest (55%); choose by whether you want foreground light or stars.
Use the local times above to plan when to arrive, then choose a viewpoint by direction: east and southeast for sunrise, west coast for sunset.
Sunrise
Area: North of the Forbidden City
A high eastern view over roofs; pollution or closed gates can remove the distant scene.
Sunset
Area: North Beijing
The open axis suits architecture at dusk; in smog, switch to geometric close-ups.
Sunset
Area: Beijing northern hills
Western ridge light gives wall layers; snow, fog or closures are reasons not to climb for gold light.
This calendar lays out upcoming twilight windows so you can choose warm light, cool light, silhouettes, or Moon shots before leaving.
Blue hour
Before sunrise and after sunset, the sky still has tone while street and building lights become visible. It is strong for bridges, streets, skylines, and reflections.
Golden hour
Low Sun angles create softer light and longer shadows. Landscapes, portraits, coastlines, and ridgelines gain clearer direction in this window.
Moon
Bright moonlight can reveal foreground detail but may reduce star contrast. If you want the Moon in frame, also check moonrise, moonset, and direction.
The best light lasts only minutes. Having a visual idea before arrival is more reliable than searching at the peak.
Arrival
Sunrise and sunset change quickly. Arrive 20 to 30 minutes early to test composition, safe movement, and backup angles.
Frame
Reflections, wet pavement, street lamps, silhouettes, ridgelines, and buildings often carry the image. The timetable tells you when light arrives; the scene makes the photo.
Backup
A blocked sunset is not a failed trip. Cloud texture, silhouettes, street lights, wet reflections, and blue hour can all become alternative subjects.
Related tools: Sunrise & Sunset · Photography Golden Hour Planner · Stargazing & Moon Viewing Score