Golden hour
±30 min
From sunrise/sunset
Mode · Photography & Light
Alaska photography mode
A specialized view for photographers that overlays golden hour, blue hour, tide height, and moon position for a chosen coastal location — so you can find the mornings where minus tides coincide with long flat light over the mudflats.
Blue hour
±20 min
Civil/nautical twilight
Moon impact
HIGH
Full moon = minus tides
Best season
Shoulder
May/Sep for long low-angle light
The Alaska photography opportunity
Alaska's extreme tidal range — up to 30+ feet in upper Cook Inlet — creates dramatic mudflat and tidepool scenes that no other place on earth matches. The trick is timing: a minus tide that hits during golden hour on a clear morning is rare and unforgettable. This mode aims to auto-surface those windows.
Planned ingredients
Sun timing
Rise/Set
Civil · Nautical · Astronomical
Golden and blue hour bands already computed on home page
Moon phase
Phase + Rise
Full moon = spring tides
Moon rise/set for night and twilight shots
Tide height
Low tide
Target: sub-zero MLLW
Minus tides expose dramatic mudflats and reefs
Explore related data
The home page already shows today's sun arc and moon phase. Use the station page for your nearest location to see the full tide chart.