Sun times in London on 24 September 2026
| Sunrise | 06:51 | rises toward E (90°) |
|---|---|---|
| Solar noon | 12:54 | sun 38.1° above the horizon |
| Sunset | 18:57 | sets toward W (271°) |
| Day length | 12 h 07 min | |
| Civil dawn | 06:17 | first usable light |
| Civil dusk | 19:31 | last usable light |
| Golden hour, morning | 06:51–07:35 | warm low light |
| Golden hour, evening | 18:13–18:57 | warm low light |
| Shadow at noon | 1.28 m | per metre of height |
Times are computed for 51.5074°, -0.1278° 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 London.
The sun through the year in London
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | Noon altitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 08:01 | 16:21 | 8 h 20 min | 17.3° |
| February | 07:16 | 17:16 | 9 h 59 min | 25.8° |
| March | 06:17 | 18:05 | 11 h 49 min | 36.3° |
| April | 06:06 | 19:57 | 13 h 51 min | 48.2° |
| May | 05:10 | 20:46 | 15 h 36 min | 57.3° |
| June | 04:44 | 21:20 | 16 h 36 min | 61.8° |
| July | 05:02 | 21:13 | 16 h 12 min | 60.0° |
| August | 05:47 | 20:26 | 14 h 39 min | 52.6° |
| September | 06:36 | 19:18 | 12 h 42 min | 41.6° |
| October | 07:25 | 18:10 | 10 h 45 min | 30.0° |
| November | 07:19 | 16:14 | 8 h 54 min | 20.1° |
| December | 08:01 | 15:53 | 7 h 52 min | 15.2° |
At the June solstice the midday sun reaches 61.9° above the horizon in London and the day lasts 16 h 38 min. At the December solstice the sun climbs only to 15.1° and the day shrinks to 7 h 50 min. That difference is what decides whether a garden, a window or a solar array sees the sun in winter.
Planning around the sun in London
Solar panels
At this latitude a fixed array facing the equator collects the most over a year at a tilt of about 42°. Use the solar panel angle calculator with the coordinates 51.5074°, -0.1278° for the exact optimum, the seasonal optima and the loss from an east or west facing roof.
Buying a flat or a plot
In December the noon sun in London sits 15.1° above the horizon, so every obstacle casts a shadow 3.7 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 06:51–07:35 in the morning and 18:13–18:57 in the evening today, and the sun sets toward sets toward W (271°). 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.