Current time in Johannesburg

South Africa has never observed daylight saving time. The government considered it in the 1990s and decided the energy savings weren't worth it.

Johannesburg sits at 1,753 meters altitude — the highest major city in the world outside of South America. The thin air makes golden hour extraordinarily clear and vivid.

Johannesburg was built on gold — literally. The city exists because of the 1886 gold rush. The daily golden hour over a city built on gold has an irony that photographers appreciate.

Because Johannesburg is in the Southern Hemisphere, its seasons are reversed — golden hour in July (winter) sees the sun low in the northern sky, which feels completely backwards to Northern Hemisphere visitors.

South Africa's power grid struggles — load shedding (planned blackouts) are common. During blackouts, golden hour becomes the city's only illumination in the evenings.

Rugby matches in Johannesburg are scheduled to avoid the afternoon thunderstorms that hit almost daily in summer. The entire sporting calendar works around the weather patterns that golden hour triggers.