Sun times in Columbus, Ohio on 3 November 2026
| Sunrise | 07:03 | rises toward ESE (109°) |
|---|---|---|
| Solar noon | 12:16 | sun 34.8° above the horizon |
| Sunset | 17:27 | sets toward WSW (251°) |
| Day length | 10 h 24 min | |
| Civil dawn | 06:35 | first usable light |
| Civil dusk | 17:55 | last usable light |
| Golden hour, morning | 07:03–07:42 | warm low light |
| Golden hour, evening | 16:49–17:27 | warm low light |
| Shadow at noon | 1.44 m | per metre of height |
Times are computed for 39.9612°, -82.9988° and refreshed every day. For any other date, an exact azimuth or a shadow drawn on the map, open the interactive sun position map for Columbus, Ohio.
The sun’s path over Columbus, Ohio
How high the sun stands and where, from sunrise to sunset: today, at both solstices and at the equinox. The higher a curve climbs, the higher the sun; where a curve meets the bottom line, the sun rises or sets at that compass bearing.
- Today, 3 November
- 21 June
- Equinox, March and September
- 21 December
The sun's altitude against its compass bearing over Columbus, Ohio. On 21 June the sun rises at 58° (ENE), climbs to 73.5° at solar noon and sets at 302° (WNW). On 21 December the sun rises at 120° (ESE), climbs to 26.6° at solar noon and sets at 240° (WSW).
The sun through the year in Columbus, Ohio
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | Noon altitude | Noon shadow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 07:52 | 17:31 | 9 h 40 min | 29.0° | 1.8 m |
| February | 07:25 | 18:08 | 10 h 43 min | 37.5° | 1.3 m |
| March | 07:43 | 19:39 | 11 h 56 min | 48.1° | 0.9 m |
| April | 06:54 | 20:11 | 13 h 16 min | 60.0° | 0.6 m |
| May | 06:17 | 20:41 | 14 h 24 min | 69.0° | 0.4 m |
| June | 06:03 | 21:03 | 15 h 00 min | 73.4° | 0.3 m |
| July | 06:16 | 21:00 | 14 h 44 min | 71.5° | 0.3 m |
| August | 06:44 | 20:28 | 13 h 45 min | 63.9° | 0.5 m |
| September | 07:13 | 19:41 | 12 h 27 min | 52.9° | 0.8 m |
| October | 07:43 | 18:52 | 11 h 10 min | 41.3° | 1.1 m |
| November | 07:17 | 17:16 | 9 h 58 min | 31.4° | 1.6 m |
| December | 07:47 | 17:08 | 9 h 21 min | 26.7° | 2 m |
At the June solstice the midday sun reaches 73.5° above the horizon in Columbus, Ohio and the day lasts 15 h 01 min. At the December solstice the sun climbs only to 26.6° and the day shrinks to 9 h 20 min. That difference is what decides whether a garden, a window or a solar array sees the sun in winter. The noon shadow column gives the length of the shadow of anything one metre tall.
Columbus, Ohio through 2026 at a glance
| Longest day | 21 June | 15 h 01 min, 06:03–21:04 |
|---|---|---|
| Shortest day | 21 December | 9 h 20 min, 07:50–17:10 |
| Earliest sunrise | 14 June | 06:03 |
| Latest sunrise | 31 October | 08:00 |
| Earliest sunset | 7 December | 17:07 |
| Latest sunset | 27 June | 21:05 |
| Highest midday sun | 21 June | 73.5° |
| Lowest midday sun | 21 December | 26.6° |
| Sunrise direction | through the year | 58° ENE (21 June) to 120° ESE (21 December) |
| Sunset direction | through the year | 240° WSW (21 December) to 302° WNW (20 June) |
- At solar noon the sun in Columbus, Ohio always stands due south, so the south side of a building, a garden or a roof is the one that gets the sun.
- The longest day in Columbus, Ohio is 5 h 41 min longer than the shortest, and around the equinoxes the days grow or shrink by up to 2.6 minutes a day.
The winter solstice 2026: the moment, and the shortest and the longest day, city by city →
Planning around the sun in Columbus, Ohio
Solar panels
At 40.0° N a fixed array facing due south collects the most over a year at a tilt of about 33°. Use the solar panel angle calculator with the coordinates 39.9612°, -82.9988° for the exact optimum, the seasonal optima and the loss from an east or west facing roof.
Buying a flat or a plot
At the December solstice the noon sun in Columbus, Ohio sits 26.6° above the horizon, so every obstacle casts a shadow 2 times its own height at midday. Check what stands to the south before you commit: place the building on the map and read the shaded hours for 21 December.
Photography
Golden hour runs 07:03–07:42 in the morning and 16:49–17:27 in the evening today, and the sun sets toward WSW (251°). The golden hour calculator gives the same windows for any date, and the map’s alignment finder shows the days when the setting sun lines up with a street.
More on planning around the sun: which way a house, garden or balcony should face, how long golden hour lasts and why the earliest sunset comes before the shortest day.
Other cities
Near Columbus, Ohio
- Sun position in CincinnatiUnited States
- Sun position in AkronUnited States
- Sun position in HuntingtonUnited States
- Sun position in ToledoUnited States
On the same latitude
Columbus, Ohio lies at 40.0° N. On the same parallel the longest and the shortest day last just as long and the noon sun climbs just as high, whatever the clocks say there:
- Sun position in AnkaraTurkey • 39.9° N
- Sun position in BeijingChina • 39.9° N
- Sun position in YerevanArmenia • 40.2° N
- Sun position in PalmaSpain • 39.6° N
Questions
Sun questions about Columbus, Ohio
What time is sunrise and sunset in Columbus, Ohio today?
On 3 November 2026 the sun rises at 07:03 and sets at 17:27 in Columbus, Ohio (UTC-5), giving 10 h 24 min of daylight.
What time is solar noon in Columbus, Ohio today?
Solar noon is at 12:16, when the sun stands due south, 34.8° above the horizon. It is the middle of the day by the sun and the moment shadows are shortest.
When is the longest day of the year in Columbus, Ohio?
On 21 June, with 15 h 01 min between sunrise at 06:03 and sunset at 21:04.
When is the shortest day of the year in Columbus, Ohio?
On 21 December, with 9 h 20 min between sunrise at 07:50 and sunset at 17:10.
How high does the sun get in Columbus, Ohio?
At solar noon the sun reaches 73.5° on 21 June, its highest of the year, and only 26.6° on 21 December. Today it climbs to 34.8°.
In which direction does the sun rise and set in Columbus, Ohio?
Due east and due west only around the equinoxes. Through the year sunrise swings between 58° (ENE) and 120° (ESE), and sunset between 240° (WSW) and 302° (WNW).
What is the best angle for solar panels in Columbus, Ohio?
Facing due south (azimuth 180°) at a tilt of about 33° for the most energy over a year. A steeper tilt favours the winter months and a flatter one the summer.
When is the earliest sunset in Columbus, Ohio?
On 7 December at 17:07, 14 days before the shortest day. The latest sunrise is on 4 January at 07:54, so the evenings start getting lighter before the mornings do.
When do the days start getting longer in Columbus, Ohio?
Straight after the shortest day, 21 December, but slowly at first: by 31 December the day is only 3 minutes longer, by 31 January 49 minutes longer and by 28 February 1 h 56 min longer. The evenings start getting lighter a little earlier, after the earliest sunset on 7 December.
What time does it get dark in Columbus, Ohio in December?
On 1 December the sun sets at 17:07 and the sky is dark by about 17:37, when civil twilight ends. On 31 December sunset is at 17:17 and darkness at about 17:47.