Nautical Dusk Time

When the Sun sinks to 12° below the horizon and the horizon line disappears.

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Nautical dusk

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What is nautical dusk?

Nautical dusk is the end of evening nautical twilight: the moment the Sun's centre reaches 12° below the horizon. After it the horizon at sea is no longer distinguishable, ending the evening window for sextant star sights. Astronomical twilight follows until the Sun is 18° down.

Phase	Sun below horizon	What you see
Civil twilight	0° to 6°	Enough light to work outdoors; brightest planets appear
Nautical twilight	6° to 12°	Horizon still visible at sea; bright stars visible
Astronomical twilight	12° to 18°	Sky looks dark to most people; faint glow remains
Night	more than 18°	No sunlight scattered in the sky

EENT

Military planners call it EENT — “end evening nautical twilight.” Photographers use the time between civil and nautical dusk for deep-blue skies over lit cityscapes. Times are calculated in your browser from the Sun's position (the same method as NOAA-style solar calculators). They assume a flat horizon at sea level, so mountains, buildings and altitude can shift what you actually see by a few minutes.

Frequently asked questions

How long after sunset is nautical dusk?

Roughly 50–80 minutes at mid-latitudes, about 45–50 minutes near the equator, and longer at high latitudes.

Is it dark after nautical dusk?

It looks dark to most people and many stars are out, but a faint glow remains in the west until astronomical dusk.

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