Night hours, detected automatically

Real solar math

Moda's SolarCalculator uses the same algorithm as NOAA's solar position tables. It computes the Julian Day Number, solar declination, and the hour angle at a 90.833-degree zenith for your GPS coordinates. The result: sunset and sunrise times accurate within about one minute for any date, anywhere.

This isn't a lookup table. It's live math based on where you actually are. A session in Portland, Maine will have a different sunset than one in Portland, Oregon on the same day. Moda handles both correctly.

Four ways states define "night"

States don't agree on what night means. Moda supports all four definitions:

• 1. Sunset to sunrise. The most common rule. Moda calculates exact sunset/sunrise for your coordinates and date.
• 2. Fixed hours. Some states define night as a specific clock window — for example, 10 PM to 5 AM — regardless of actual sunset. Simple clock math. No solar calculation needed. (Note: Kentucky's curfew restricts intermediate license holders from driving midnight to 6 AM, but the practice log night hours follow sunset to sunrise.)
• 3. Sunset or fixed hour, whichever is later. New York defines night as sunset or 9 PM (whichever comes later) until sunrise or 5 AM (whichever comes earlier). Moda computes both and picks the right one.
• 4. DST-aware fixed hours. South Carolina shifts its window with Daylight Saving: 6 PM to 6 AM during EST, 8 PM to 6 AM during EDT. Moda checks the current timezone offset and applies the right window.

No toggles, no guessing

You never tell Moda "this is a night session." It checks your start time against the night definition for your state and location, then categorizes the whole session. Start after sunset? Night drive. Start before? Day drive. One decision, made correctly, every time.

For the best accuracy, plan your drives around the boundary. Do your daytime hours in the afternoon. Do your night hours after dark. Moda makes sure each one counts where it should.

Privacy first

Your GPS coordinates are used for the solar calculation and nothing else. They never leave your device. Not sent to a server, not stored in the cloud, not shared with anyone. Moda keeps your location on your phone where it belongs.