Nautical Twilight

Nautical twilight represents the middle phase of the day-to-night transition, occurring when the sun sits between 6° and 12° below the horizon. Named for its historical importance to maritime navigation—when sailors could still see the horizon clearly enough to take star sightings for determining their position—nautical twilight provides photographers with a distinctive blend of twilight and night sky elements. During this period, the sky displays rich gradients from deep blue near the zenith to warm orange or purple tones along the horizon where the sun's influence still reaches. The ambient light level drops significantly compared to civil twilight, but enough illumination remains to see the landscape and horizon without artificial lighting.

This makes nautical twilight ideal for photography that requires both sky detail and emerging stars. Astrophotographers often begin setting up during nautical twilight, using the remaining light to compose shots while the brightest stars and planets become visible for focusing and framing. Landscape photographers treasure nautical twilight for its moody, atmospheric quality—darker than typical blue hour but still containing color and detail in the sky. Long exposures during nautical twilight can capture both the subtle twilight glow and star trails, creating images that feel suspended between day and night. Cityscape photographers use this period to balance building lights with a still-colorful sky, though the darker conditions require longer exposures than blue hour. The duration of nautical twilight varies by latitude and season, lasting about 25-30 minutes at equatorial latitudes but extending much longer at higher latitudes during summer months. At very high latitudes during peak summer, nautical twilight may last all night, creating the phenomenon where the sun never drops far enough below the horizon for true darkness.

Weather conditions play a crucial role in nautical twilight photography—clear skies allow vibrant color gradients and star visibility, while clouds can create dramatic silhouettes against the fading light. PhotoWeather calculates precise nautical twilight timing based on solar geometry and integrates atmospheric conditions to help you plan photographs that capture this transitional lighting, whether you're shooting cityscapes, landscapes, or beginning astrophotography sessions.