How to plan the sun and moon with terrain and 3D objects
The sun inside an arch or the moon beside a tower: both need the right place and moment. A standard rise time is not enough when a mountain stands in the way.
01Start at the camera position
Find your shooting position on the map, not just the castle or mountain in the picture. Put the crosshair where your camera will stand. Tap the sun or moon symbol above the date.
02Load the terrain and models
Tap “3D” with the cube icon at the top and let the landscape load. If models are missing, open the three-dot menu (…). Find “Predefined 3D models” in the “3D display” section. Map markers show where models are available.
The three-dot menu contains “Predefined 3D models” under the “3D display” heading. 03Frame the subject
Aim at your foreground. Pinch to change focal length and use the rectangle icon on the right to switch orientation. For a different sideways alignment, tap “Map” at the top and move the camera position there.
A longer focal length helps you judge the size of the moon in the frame. 04Find the visible rise
Set the day and move the time around rise or set. Watch when the sun or moon actually appears from behind the terrain. Above a ridge, this can happen noticeably later than at an unobstructed horizon.
05Check edges and openings
For a sunstar, fine-tune the time until an edge of the terrain or model partly covers the sun. The simulation also respects actual openings in the model. Save the view; check narrow sightlines on location as well.
Terrain and buildings are simplified. Individual trees, small wall openings or inaccurate location data can matter. Never look at the sun through an unprotected optical viewfinder.