Solar Noon Time Calculator

Solar Noon Time Calculator

Solar noon rarely matches 12:00 on the clock - this calculator estimates the actual local clock time the sun reaches its highest point.

Longitude Correction (min) = 4 x (Timezone Standard Meridian - Longitude)
Solar Noon Ôëê 12:00 + Longitude Correction - Equation of Time

Example

Longitude -84┬░ (roughly Atlanta), Eastern Time standard meridian -75┬░:

Longitude Correction = 36 minutes → Solar noon at approximately 12:36

Why Solar Noon Drifts From Clock Noon

Time zones cover a wide range of longitudes but use one single standard clock time throughout the entire zone - only locations exactly on the zone's standard meridian see solar noon precisely at 12:00, while locations east or west of that meridian see solar noon earlier or later respectively.

The Equation of Time's Extra Wobble

Earth's slightly elliptical orbit and axial tilt (captured by the "equation of time") add an additional shift of up to about 16 minutes throughout the year on top of the longitude correction, which is why solar noon's exact clock time also drifts slightly across the seasons even at a fixed location.