Since PHP 8, the date_sun_info() function returns inaccurate sunrise and sunset times, but other calculated times are correct

[JiriJozif]

Description

The following code:

<?php
date_default_timezone_set("UTC");
$sun_info = date_sun_info(strtotime("2025-03-21"), 51.48, 0.0);
echo date("H:i:s\n", $sun_info['sunrise']);
echo date("H:i:s\n", $sun_info['sunset']);

Resulted in this output PHP 7.4 (compare https://aa.usno.navy.mil/calculated/rstt/oneday?date=2025-03-21&lat=51.48&lon=0.0000&label=&tz=0.00&tz_sign=1&tz_label=false&dst=false&submit=Get+Data):

05:59:21
18:14:48

Resulted in this output PHP 8.3.17:

05:57:45
18:16:25

I think the problem is in the call function timelib_astro_rise_set_altitude() in /ext/date/php_date.c
Back in PHP 7.4.33 it was called like this
timelib_astro_rise_set_altitude(t, longitude, latitude, -35.0/60, 1, &ddummy, &ddummy, &rise, &set, &transit);
https://github.com/php/php-src/blob/PHP-7.4.33/ext/date/php_date.c#L5146
The fourth parameter, -35.0/60, is the refraction value in degrees.
In the timelib_astro_rise_set_altitude() function then subtracts the calculated apparent radius of the Sun (which is approximately 15.0/60)
https://github.com/php/php-src/blob/PHP-7.4.33/ext/date/lib/astro.c#L260 (the variable upper_limb is always 1)
The result is the correct topocentric altitude (-50/60 degrees) needed to calculate the sunrise and sunset times.

However, since PHP 8, it is called timelib_astro_rise_set_altitude(t, longitude, latitude, -50.0/60, 1, &ddummy, &ddummy, &rise, &set, &transit);
https://github.com/php/php-src/blob/PHP-8.0/ext/date/php_date.c#L4663
The fourth parameter, -50.0/60, is refraction and apparent radius together. But in the function itself, the subtraction of the calculated apparent radius of the Sun is still done.
The resulting topocentric altitude (-65/60 degrees) is wrong and consequently so are the calculated sunrise and sunset times. The other calculated times (transit and *twilight*) are correct.

PHP Version

PHP 8.3.17

Operating System

No response