PHP date_sunset() function (with example)

Hey there,

I've used the date_sunset() function in one of my recent projects, and it's quite handy for displaying the sunset time accurately. Let me share my experience and provide an alternative example for you!

The date_sunset() function in PHP allows you to calculate the time of sunset for a specific date and location. It returns the Unix timestamp of the sunset time, giving you flexibility in further manipulations or formatting according to your needs.

To use the date_sunset() function, you simply need to provide the following parameters:

1. $timestamp: This parameter is optional and represents the Unix timestamp of the desired date and time. If you don't specify it, the current local time will be used as the default.

2. $format: This parameter is also optional and defines the format in which you want to display the sunset time. It follows the same format as the PHP date() function, allowing you to customize the output appearance.

3. $latitude: This parameter is mandatory and indicates the latitude of the location for which you want to calculate the sunset time.

4. $longitude: Similarly, this parameter is mandatory and represents the longitude of the location.

5. $zenith: This optional parameter defines the zenith angle, which determines how the sunset time should be computed. By default, it uses 90° as the zenith angle, representing the "official" horizon.

Now, let me provide you with a different example to give you more options:

php
$date = strtotime('2022-10-01');

$latitude = 37.7749; // Specify the desired latitude, e.g., San Francisco

$longitude = -122.4194; // Specify the desired longitude, e.g., San Francisco

$format = 'h:i A'; // Define a different output format, e.g., 12-hour time with AM/PM



$sunsetTime = date_sunset($date, SUNFUNCS_RET_STRING, $latitude, $longitude, 90);



echo "The sunset time is expected at " . date($format, $sunsetTime) . ".";

Hey there,

I have actually used the date_sunset() function in one of my projects, so I can definitely help you out with this!

The date_sunset() function in PHP is used to calculate the time of sunset for a specified date and location. It returns the timestamp of the sunset time.

To use the date_sunset() function, you need to provide the following parameters:

1. $timestamp: This parameter is optional and specifies the Unix timestamp of the desired date. If it's not provided, the current local time is used.

2. $format: This parameter is optional as well and specifies the format in which you want to display the sunset time. It follows the same format as the PHP date() function.

3. $latitude: This is the mandatory parameter that represents the latitude of the desired location.

4. $longitude: This is also a mandatory parameter representing the longitude of the desired location.

5. $zenith: This parameter is optional and represents the zenith angle, which is the angle between the vertical and a line connecting the center of the Earth and the center of the celestial body. The default value is 90°, which represents the "official" horizon.

Now, let me provide you with an example to make things clearer:

php
$date = strtotime('2022-10-01'); // Optional: Set a specific date

$latitude = 51.5074; // Specify the latitude of your location, e.g. for London

$longitude = -0.1278; // Specify the longitude of your location, e.g. for London

$format = 'H:i:s'; // Optional: Define the format of the output time



$sunsetTime = date_sunset($date, SUNFUNCS_RET_STRING, $latitude, $longitude, 90); // Calculate and store the sunset time



echo "The sunset time is at " . date($format, $sunsetTime);

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