Sunrise and Sunset Times by City – Yearly Calendar
Use this tool to view sunrise and sunset times for any large city (> 500k inhabitants) throughout the year. Select a city to see an interactive chart and detailed monthly tables.
Start typing a city name and choose from the dropdown menu.
Currently limited to 1,031 cities with more than 500,000 inhabitants in our database.
How we calculate sunrise and sunset times
Sunrise and sunset times are calculated using PHP's date_sun_info() function, which uses the city's geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) and the date to determine the exact position of the sun. The calculation accounts for atmospheric refraction, which bends sunlight and makes the sun appear slightly above the horizon even after it has geometrically set. Civil twilight times (dawn and dusk) indicate when the sun is 6 degrees below the horizon — there is still enough light for outdoor activities without artificial lighting.
Understanding Sunrise and Sunset Variations
The time of sunrise and sunset varies throughout the year due to the tilt of the Earth's axis (approximately 23.5 degrees). As the Earth orbits the sun, different parts of the planet receive more or less direct sunlight, causing the days to lengthen and shorten with the seasons.
Cities closer to the equator experience relatively consistent day lengths year-round (approximately 12 hours), while cities at higher latitudes see dramatic variations — from very short winter days to extremely long summer days. Above the Arctic Circle and below the Antarctic Circle, there are periods of continuous daylight (midnight sun) or continuous darkness (polar night).
The summer solstice (around June 21 in the Northern Hemisphere, December 21 in the Southern) marks the longest day, while the winter solstice marks the shortest. At the equinoxes (around March 20 and September 22), day and night are approximately equal worldwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do sunrise and sunset times change throughout the year?
The Earth's axis is tilted at about 23.5 degrees relative to its orbital plane. As the Earth orbits the sun, different hemispheres are tilted toward or away from the sun, causing seasonal variations in daylight hours.
What is civil twilight?
Civil twilight is the period when the sun is between 0 and 6 degrees below the horizon. During this time, there is enough natural light for most outdoor activities without artificial lighting. Civil dawn occurs before sunrise, and civil dusk occurs after sunset.
Why are the times shown slightly different from what I see locally?
Small differences can occur due to the observer's exact position within a city, local terrain features (mountains, buildings), and atmospheric conditions. The times shown are calculated for the city center coordinates.