<p>If I observe the sun and measure the local azimuth and elevation, and I also have my latitude, can I calculate the local sunrise and local sunset times? If so, how would I calculate it?</p>

<p>Further, can the same calculations be used for the moonrise and moonset?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-05-12T03:30:09.387Z
@barrycarter yeah that sounds good. I know it should vary by a few seconds, right? Approximation to the nearest minute would be great. Thanks for your help!
jlaverde
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-05-09T12:34:34.283Z
Please clarify: at what clock time are you measuring Az and El?  Would you have a reference table of, say, azimuth vs. latitude vs. day of year?
Carl Witthoft
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-05-09T18:18:52.467Z
It could be at any clock time. I think I've seen some calculations based on noon. A table would work, however it would be a pretty big look up table in order to account for different latitudes and spanning through each day in a century. This is why I'd like to try to calculate it instead of simply looking it up.
jlaverde
<the-sun><the-moon><azimuth>
Determining sunrise and sunset times based on azimuth and elevation
jlaverde
# Determining sunrise and sunset times based on azimuth and elevation

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-05-08)

If I observe the sun and measure the local azimuth and elevation, and I also have my latitude, can I calculate the local sunrise and local sunset times? If so, how would I calculate it?

Further, can the same calculations be used for the moonrise and moonset?

**Tags:** the-sun, the-moon, azimuth

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Please clarify: at what clock time are you measuring Az and El?  Would you have a reference table of, say, azimuth vs. latitude vs. day of year?  
> **username_0**: It could be at any clock time. I think I've seen some calculations based on noon. A table would work, however it would be a pretty big look up table in order to account for different latitudes and spanning through each day in a century. This is why I'd like to try to calculate it instead of simply looking it up.  
> **username_0**: @barrycarter yeah that sounds good. I know it should vary by a few seconds, right? Approximation to the nearest minute would be great. Thanks for your help!  

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