PHP - date_sunset() Function

September 17, 2024

Categories: PHP Functions, PHP Reference, Reference

Quick Reference

The PHP date_sunset() function returns the sunset time for a specified day and location.

<?php
echo('<h2>Marina del Rey, CA</h2>');
echo('Date: ' . date('D M d Y'));
echo('<br>Sunset time: ');
echo(date_sunset(time(), SUNFUNCS_RET_STRING, -121.811211));
?>

Output

Marina del Rey, CA

Date: Wed Sep 20 2023
Sunset time: 15:31

Syntax

date_sunset(timestamp, format, latitude, longitude, zenith, gmtoffset)

Parameters

Parameter	Description
timestamp	Specifies a timestamp (required)
format	Specifies how to return the result: SUNFUNCS_RET_STRING (returns the result as string. e.g. 16:46) (default) SUNFUNCS_RET_DOUBLE (returns the result as float. e.g. 16.78243132) SUNFUNCS_RET_TIMESTAMP (returns the result as integer (timestamp). e.g. 1095034606)
latitude	Specifies the latitude in degrees (required)
longitude	Specifies the longitude in degrees (required)
zenith	Defaults to date.sunrise_zenith
gmtoffset	Specifies the difference between GMT and local time in hours

PHP Notes:

When using PHP, single or double quotation marks are acceptable and work identically to one another; choose whichever you prefer, and stay consistent
Arrays count starting from zero NOT one; so item 1 is position [0], item 2 is position [1], and item 3 is position [2] … and so on

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