Sun path · Los Angeles
Sunrise & sunset direction in Los Angeles
See which way the sun rises and sets in Los Angeles, with the full arc showing elevation against compass direction. Dashed curves show the June solstice, equinox and December solstice for comparison.
Drag the timeline to see where the sun will be in the sky.
Sun path in Los Angeles on Wed, Sep 23
The sun rises at 90°, E and sets at 270°, W in Los Angeles, reaching a peak elevation of 56° at solar noon. Day length is 12h 6m, measured from sunrise to sunset.
The chart above plots the full arc of the sun across the sky. The horizontal axis is compass direction, the vertical axis is elevation. Dashed reference curves show the June solstice, equinox and December solstice so you can see how the arc shifts through the year.
Use the scrubber to walk through the day and read the sun's compass bearing and elevation at any moment. For photography, check which direction light will come from at your planned shoot time and whether your subject will be front-lit, side-lit or backlit.
Sunrise and sunset direction in Los Angeles
Bearings are measured clockwise from north and calculated from the sun path for this location.
| Date | Sun rises | Sun sets |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 90°, E | 270°, W |
| June solstice | 61°, ENE | 299°, WNW |
| Equinox | 90°, E | 271°, W |
| December solstice | 118°, ESE | 242°, WSW |
Shooting the light in Los Angeles
The cliché about golden light in Los Angeles is simply true: dry air plus a persistent thin marine haze diffuses low sun into the warm, wraparound glow the film industry was built on. The basin faces the Pacific to the west and southwest, so beach sunsets are the daily default.
Seasons here are about clarity, not day length. May and June open with "June gloom" - overcast marine-layer mornings that clear by afternoon - while winter days after a rain are the sharpest of the year, when the San Gabriels stand behind the skyline in full detail.
Where photographers go
Griffith Observatory
Sunset over the whole basin, then one of the best blue hours anywhere as the grid of lights spreads to the ocean.
El Matador Beach
Sea stacks and arches backlit at sunset; low tide opens the compositions.
Kenneth Hahn Overlook
The downtown skyline with snow-capped mountains behind it on clear winter days.
Manhattan Beach Pier
The roundhouse at the end of the pier against the setting sun, year-round.
Frequently asked
- Which way does the sun rise in Los Angeles?
- On Wed, Sep 23, the sun rises in Los Angeles at 90°, E (east).
- Which direction does the sun set in Los Angeles in December?
- At the December solstice, the sun sets in Los Angeles at 242°, WSW (west-southwest).
- How high does the sun get in Los Angeles?
- On Wed, Sep 23, the sun reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point in Los Angeles.
