Shadow Length & Sun Elevation

The lower the sun, the longer the shadow. Enter a city, date and object height to see the sun’s elevation and shadow length all day — for photography, daylight and shading.

How to use shadow length

Shadow length and direction are useful for photography, height estimation and shading.

Shadow multiple = 1 ÷ tan(elevation) — At 45° the shadow equals the object’s height; the lower the sun, the longer the shadow; at solar noon the sun is highest and the shadow shortest.
Estimate an object’s height — Measure the shadow length and divide by the current shadow multiple to estimate the height of buildings, trees or flagpoles that are hard to measure directly.
Plan light direction and shading — Azimuth tells you the direction of the sun and shadow — useful for finding front- or back-light in photography, and for assessing shade and daylight in buildings.

FAQ

How is shadow length calculated?

It is the object height times the shadow multiple, where the multiple is 1 ÷ tan(sun elevation). The closer the sun to the horizon, the larger the multiple and the longer the shadow.

Why is the shadow shortest at solar noon?

At solar noon the sun is at its highest elevation, closest to overhead, so the shadow is shortest. That moment is the local solar noon, which is not necessarily 12:00 on the clock.

Where is azimuth measured from?

Azimuth is measured from true north at 0°, increasing clockwise (east 90°, south 180°, west 270°). The shadow points opposite the sun.

Fastest around the equinoxes — Near the spring and autumn equinoxes the daily change is largest — at mid latitudes a day can differ by two or three minutes from the last.
Flattest near the solstices — Near the summer (longest) and winter (shortest) solstices the change approaches zero, and consecutive days are almost the same length.
Bigger swings at higher latitudes — Closer to the poles the seasonal range is larger; near the equator daylight stays close to 12 hours all year with little change.

Golden hour: roughly an hour after sunrise and before sunset — When the sun is near the horizon (about 0°–6°) the light is soft and warm with long shadows — great for landscapes, portraits and backlight.
Blue hour: before sunrise and after sunset — When the sun is below the horizon (about 0° to -6°) the sky turns a saturated deep blue — ideal for cityscapes and reflections.
Arrive 15 minutes early — Golden and blue hours change fast. Arrive early, set up the tripod and frame your shot so you can shoot continuously once the light arrives.

Place the camera position first — The city picker only gets you nearby. For real planning, click the map or drag the blue pin to where you will stand: a bridge, seawall, viewpoint, or street corner.
Then choose the shooting date — At the same location, sunrise and sunset bearings change a lot through the year. For sun-through-building or moon-over-ridge shots, the date is often more important than the minute.
Find the alignment time — Move the time slider and watch the right panel update azimuth and altitude for the sun, moon, and galactic core. When a line crosses your foreground direction, that time is worth scouting.

Related tools: Sun / Moon Path Map · Sunrise & Sunset · Day Length Changes