Dawn and first light
Dawn is the growing light in the sky before sunrise, as the Sun climbs toward the horizon. First light, or civil dawn, is the moment the Sun reaches 6 degrees below the horizon and there is enough natural light to see and move around; sunrise itself follows a little later.
See dawn for your city
Every city page shows today's dawn, sunrise, solar noon, golden hour, sunset and dusk in local time.
First light, civil dawn and the three dawns
Dawn actually begins earlier than most people think. Astronomical dawn is the first faint hint of light, when the Sun is 18 degrees below the horizon. Nautical dawn follows at 12 degrees, when the horizon becomes visible at sea. Civil dawn, at 6 degrees below, is what we usually call first light: the sky is bright enough for everyday activity even though the Sun has not yet risen.
From first light to sunrise is a short window in the tropics and a long, lingering one at high latitudes, where the Sun approaches the horizon at a shallow angle.
Dawn is not the same as sunrise
Sunrise is a single instant: the moment the top edge of the Sun appears over the horizon. Dawn is the stretch of brightening twilight that leads up to it. If you are planning a sunrise photo or an early start, dawn is when you should already be in position.
Frequently asked questions
What time is dawn today?
Civil dawn (first light) is typically about 20 to 40 minutes before sunrise, longer at high latitudes. Open your city to see today's exact dawn, sunrise and dusk times.
What is first light?
First light is civil dawn: the moment the Sun reaches 6 degrees below the horizon and there is enough light to see outdoors, shortly before the Sun itself rises.
Is dawn the same as sunrise?
No. Dawn is the period of brightening sky before the Sun appears; sunrise is the instant the Sun's edge clears the horizon.
How long before sunrise is dawn?
Civil dawn begins roughly 20 to 40 minutes before sunrise at mid latitudes, and considerably earlier near the poles where twilight is long.