Ten activities, each with its own view.

Be there for the best light

Plan a shoot around the light. See when the golden and blue hours begin and end, where the Sun and Moon will be, and how shadows will fall, before you leave home.

• The day’s light at a glance
• Golden and blue hours
• Twilight
• Where the Sun and Moon will be
• Shadows
• Time-lapse planning

Make the most of a dark night

Find the darkest hours of the night, see when the Moon is out of the way and check the clouds. Then hold up your iPhone with Sky finder to find the planets and stars.

• Dark hours and moonlight
• Clouds tonight
• How good the sky is
• Planets tonight
• Meteor showers
• Aurora
• Sky finder

See where the light falls

See how a place meets the Sun through the year: when a garden, a terrace or a window gets sun, and when hills or nearby buildings put it in shade.

• The Sun’s path through the seasons
• Sun and shadow at any time
• Shade from hills and buildings
• Sunlight on each side of a building
• Solar energy

Read the wind and the water

Bring the wind, the tides, the sea and the light together for a day on the water, with tools to practise finding your way by the Sun and stars.

• A compass with the Sun, Moon and wind
• Wind and gusts
• Tides
• Sea state
• Nautical twilight
• Celestial navigation practice
• Passage planning

Choose your moment

Put the day’s natural rhythms together, from the Sun and Moon to the tides, wind and weather, to choose the best times to be out.

• The day’s active periods
• What is happening now
• Tides
• Wind and weather
• Sun and Moon

Work with the seasons

Plan the coming weeks in the garden with frost warnings, a look back at recent weather and how much sun your garden gets.

• A two-week garden calendar
• Frost
• Recent weather
• Sunlight
• Solar energy
• The Moon

Plan a good day on the trail

Know how much daylight you have and when the last light fades, and see when your route will be in sun or shade. If you need help, show your exact position and use your screen as a signal.

• Daylight left
• Sunrise, sunset and last light
• Sun and shade along your route
• Light at your campsite
• Emergency signal and location
• Moonlight for the walk back

Run with more confidence after dark

Know when the light changes, how bright the Moon will be and what the weather holds, and find lit streets and paths near you.

• The night’s light at a glance
• Dusk and dawn
• Weather for your run
• Moonlight
• Lit streets and paths
• Fog and visibility
• Icy and wet ground

Enjoy the sun safely

Follow the UV through the day, choose the right time to be in the sun, get a reminder to reapply sunscreen and see where your parasol’s shade will fall.

• UV through the day
• The Sun and sky now
• The best times in the sun
• Sunscreen reminders
• Parasol shade
• Sunset

Plan occasions around the weather

Choose the right moment for a gathering outside. See the light before, during and after your event, the weather, public holidays and where shade will fall at the venue, then share the plan with your guests.

• The light through your event
• Weather during the event
• Evening light
• Public holidays
• Shade at the venue
• How the day looks for an outdoor event
• A rain reminder
• Widgets and sharing