Sun times in Detroit on 3 November 2026
| Sunrise | 07:08 | rises toward ESE (110°) |
|---|---|---|
| Solar noon | 12:16 | sun 32.4° above the horizon |
| Sunset | 17:23 | sets toward WSW (250°) |
| Day length | 10 h 15 min | |
| Civil dawn | 06:39 | first usable light |
| Civil dusk | 17:52 | last usable light |
| Golden hour, morning | 07:08–07:48 | warm low light |
| Golden hour, evening | 16:43–17:23 | warm low light |
| Shadow at noon | 1.57 m | per metre of height |
Times are computed for 42.3314°, -83.0457° 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 Detroit.
The sun’s path over Detroit
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 Detroit. On 21 June the sun rises at 57° (ENE), climbs to 71.1° at solar noon and sets at 303° (WNW). On 21 December the sun rises at 122° (ESE), climbs to 24.2° at solar noon and sets at 238° (WSW).
The sun through the year in Detroit
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | Noon altitude | Noon shadow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 07:59 | 17:25 | 9 h 26 min | 26.6° | 2 m |
| February | 07:28 | 18:05 | 10 h 36 min | 35.2° | 1.4 m |
| March | 07:44 | 19:39 | 11 h 55 min | 45.7° | 1 m |
| April | 06:51 | 20:14 | 13 h 23 min | 57.6° | 0.6 m |
| May | 06:11 | 20:47 | 14 h 36 min | 66.7° | 0.4 m |
| June | 05:55 | 21:11 | 15 h 16 min | 71.0° | 0.3 m |
| July | 06:09 | 21:07 | 14 h 58 min | 69.1° | 0.4 m |
| August | 06:40 | 20:33 | 13 h 53 min | 61.5° | 0.5 m |
| September | 07:12 | 19:42 | 12 h 29 min | 50.5° | 0.8 m |
| October | 07:45 | 18:50 | 11 h 05 min | 39.0° | 1.2 m |
| November | 07:23 | 17:10 | 9 h 47 min | 29.1° | 1.8 m |
| December | 07:54 | 17:00 | 9 h 06 min | 24.4° | 2.2 m |
At the June solstice the midday sun reaches 71.1° above the horizon in Detroit and the day lasts 15 h 17 min. At the December solstice the sun climbs only to 24.2° and the day shrinks to 9 h 05 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.
Detroit through 2026 at a glance
| Longest day | 21 June | 15 h 17 min, 05:56–21:13 |
|---|---|---|
| Shortest day | 21 December | 9 h 05 min, 07:58–17:03 |
| Earliest sunrise | 14 June | 05:55 |
| Latest sunrise | 31 October | 08:04 |
| Earliest sunset | 8 December | 17:00 |
| Latest sunset | 27 June | 21:13 |
| Highest midday sun | 21 June | 71.1° |
| Lowest midday sun | 21 December | 24.2° |
| Sunrise direction | through the year | 57° ENE (21 June) to 122° ESE (21 December) |
| Sunset direction | through the year | 238° WSW (21 December) to 303° WNW (20 June) |
- At solar noon the sun in Detroit 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 Detroit is 6 h 12 min longer than the shortest, and around the equinoxes the days grow or shrink by up to 2.9 minutes a day.
The winter solstice 2026: the moment, and the shortest and the longest day, city by city →
Planning around the sun in Detroit
Solar panels
At 42.3° N a fixed array facing due south collects the most over a year at a tilt of about 35°. Use the solar panel angle calculator with the coordinates 42.3314°, -83.0457° 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 Detroit sits 24.2° above the horizon, so every obstacle casts a shadow 2.2 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 07:08–07:48 in the morning and 16:43–17:23 in the evening today, and the sun sets toward WSW (250°). 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 Detroit
- Sun position in ToledoUnited States
- Sun position in ClevelandUnited States
- Sun position in London, OntarioCanada
- Sun position in AkronUnited States
On the same latitude
Detroit lies at 42.3° 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 SkopjeNorth Macedonia • 42.0° N
- Sun position in PristinaKosovo • 42.7° N
- Sun position in SofiaBulgaria • 42.7° N
- Sun position in RomeItaly • 41.9° N
Questions
Sun questions about Detroit
What time is sunrise and sunset in Detroit today?
On 3 November 2026 the sun rises at 07:08 and sets at 17:23 in Detroit (UTC-5), giving 10 h 15 min of daylight.
What time is solar noon in Detroit today?
Solar noon is at 12:16, when the sun stands due south, 32.4° 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 Detroit?
On 21 June, with 15 h 17 min between sunrise at 05:56 and sunset at 21:13.
When is the shortest day of the year in Detroit?
On 21 December, with 9 h 05 min between sunrise at 07:58 and sunset at 17:03.
How high does the sun get in Detroit?
At solar noon the sun reaches 71.1° on 21 June, its highest of the year, and only 24.2° on 21 December. Today it climbs to 32.4°.
In which direction does the sun rise and set in Detroit?
Due east and due west only around the equinoxes. Through the year sunrise swings between 57° (ENE) and 122° (ESE), and sunset between 238° (WSW) and 303° (WNW).
What is the best angle for solar panels in Detroit?
Facing due south (azimuth 180°) at a tilt of about 35° 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 Detroit?
On 8 December at 17:00, 13 days before the shortest day. The latest sunrise is on 3 January at 08:01, so the evenings start getting lighter before the mornings do.
When do the days start getting longer in Detroit?
Straight after the shortest day, 21 December, but slowly at first: by 31 December the day is only 3 minutes longer, by 31 January 53 minutes longer and by 28 February 2 h 07 min longer. The evenings start getting lighter a little earlier, after the earliest sunset on 8 December.
What time does it get dark in Detroit in December?
On 1 December the sun sets at 17:01 and the sky is dark by about 17:32, when civil twilight ends. On 31 December sunset is at 17:09 and darkness at about 17:41.