Sunrise
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Area: Brooklyn, East River waterfront
Across the East River from Manhattan, sunrise light catches the glass towers here, with the Brooklyn Bridge in the same frame.
A city-focused calendar of blue hour, golden hour, sunrise, sunset and moon phase for planning dawn, dusk, cityscape and travel shoots in New York.
| Date | Blue hour | Golden hour | Sunrise | Sunset | Tonight's Moon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-18 | 06:41-07:08 / 18:12-18:40 | 07:08-07:46 / 17:35-18:12 | 07:08 | 18:12 | First Quarter 50% |
| 2026-10-19 | 06:42-07:10 / 18:10-18:38 | 07:10-07:47 / 17:33-18:10 | 07:10 | 18:10 | Waxing Gibbous 59% |
| 2026-10-20 | 06:43-07:11 / 18:09-18:37 | 07:11-07:48 / 17:31-18:09 | 07:11 | 18:09 | Waxing Gibbous 69% |
| 2026-10-21 | 06:44-07:12 / 18:08-18:35 | 07:12-07:49 / 17:30-18:08 | 07:12 | 18:08 | Waxing Gibbous 78% |
| 2026-10-22 | 06:45-07:13 / 18:06-18:34 | 07:13-07:51 / 17:28-18:06 | 07:13 | 18:06 | Waxing Gibbous 86% |
| 2026-10-23 | 06:46-07:14 / 18:05-18:33 | 07:14-07:52 / 17:27-18:05 | 07:14 | 18:05 | Waxing Gibbous 92% |
| 2026-10-24 | 06:47-07:15 / 18:03-18:31 | 07:15-07:53 / 17:25-18:03 | 07:15 | 18:03 | Waxing Gibbous 97% |
Today the Sun rises from East (102°) and sets toward West (258°); choose the foreground by direction before timing the shot.
Daylight in New York is shrinking by about 19 minutes week over week; today lasts about 11h 03m.
Today’s morning/evening golden-hour windows in New York are about 37 / 37 minutes.
Across these seven days, 2026-10-24 has the brightest moon (97%), while 2026-10-18 is darkest (50%); 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: Brooklyn, East River waterfront
Across the East River from Manhattan, sunrise light catches the glass towers here, with the Brooklyn Bridge in the same frame.
Sunset
Area: New Jersey, across the Hudson River
Straight across the Hudson from Midtown Manhattan, the sunset drops behind the Empire State Building and the skyline — the classic angle for a Manhattan silhouette.
Sunrise / Sunset
Area: Midtown Manhattan
This indoor observation deck offers a 360° view of Manhattan — one of the few spots that takes in Central Park, the Empire State Building, and the Hudson together, at either sunrise or sunset.
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