What are golden hour and blue hour?
Golden hour usually occurs shortly before and after sunrise, as well as shortly before sunset. Blue hour, on the other hand, generally occurs before sunrise and shortly after sunset. During golden hour, sunlight gives the sky and surrounding landscape warm yellow and orange tones, while during blue hour, the sky takes on a deep blue color.
We previously explained twilight, which you can read about in the “Related Articles” section at the bottom right of this page. Twilight is an astronomical concept defined according to the Sun’s altitude relative to the horizon. Golden hour and blue hour, however, focus more on the colors and visual appearance of the sky when the Sun is near or just below the horizon.
Why these hours happen
Before examining golden hour and blue hour in greater detail, it helps to understand why these phenomena occur.
As mentioned earlier, golden hour occurs shortly after sunrise or before sunset because sunlight enters the atmosphere at a low angle and travels through a greater distance of air than it does during the middle of the day. During this journey, shorter wavelengths of light, such as blue light, are scattered more strongly by molecules in the atmosphere. As a result, more of the longer-wavelength yellow, orange, and red light reaches our eyes, creating the warm colors associated with golden hour.
Blue hour, by contrast, occurs when the Sun is below the horizon and little or no direct sunlight reaches the ground. The remaining sunlight is scattered through the upper atmosphere, causing the sky to take on deep blue tones. This is what creates the distinctive appearance of blue hour.
Golden hour and blue hour are not strictly defined astronomical stages. Instead, they are terms used to describe the sky according to the color and quality of the visible light.
Understanding Golden Hour
Now, let’s take a closer look at golden hour. In the morning, golden hour generally begins shortly before sunrise and continues for a while after the Sun rises. In the evening, it begins before sunset and may continue briefly after the Sun has moved below the horizon.
During this period, sunlight gives the sky and surrounding landscape warm yellow and orange tones. These colors may become deeper or more reddish depending on the amount of dust, moisture, and clouds in the atmosphere. Because of its warm colors and soft light, golden hour is often used by photographers when taking portraits, landscapes, and architectural photographs.
There is no universally accepted solar-altitude range that officially defines golden hour. However, it is often considered to occur when the center of the Sun is approximately 4 degrees below to 6 degrees above the horizon. A negative solar altitude means that the Sun is below the horizon.
Understanding Blue Hour
Blue hour occurs before the Sun rises in the morning and after the Sun sets in the evening. During this period, the Sun is below the horizon, and the remaining sunlight scattered through the atmosphere gives the sky its distinctive blue tones.
Blue hour is widely considered a good time for photographing cityscapes and architecture. Because the sky has not yet become completely dark, photographers can capture both the shape and color of the sky and the illuminated buildings within the same scene.
Like golden hour, blue hour does not have a universally accepted solar-altitude range. However, it is often considered to occur when the center of the Sun is approximately 4 to 6 degrees below the horizon.