Sun times in Reykjavik on 12 November 2026
| Sunrise | 09:47 | rises toward SE (132°) |
|---|---|---|
| Solar noon | 13:12 | sun 8.1° above the horizon |
| Sunset | 16:36 | sets toward SW (228°) |
| Day length | 6 h 49 min | |
| Civil dawn | 08:48 | first usable light |
| Civil dusk | 17:35 | last usable light |
| Golden hour, morning | 09:47–11:36 | warm low light |
| Golden hour, evening | 14:47–16:36 | warm low light |
| Shadow at noon | 7.06 m | per metre of height |
Times are computed for 64.1466°, -21.9426° 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 Reykjavik.
The sun’s path over Reykjavik
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, 12 November
- 21 June
- Equinox, March and September
- 21 December
The sun's altitude against its compass bearing over Reykjavik. On 21 June the sun rises at 20° (NNE), climbs to 49.3° at solar noon and sets at 340° (NNW). On 21 December the sun rises at 152° (SSE), climbs to 2.4° at solar noon and sets at 208° (SSW).
The sun through the year in Reykjavik
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | Noon altitude | Noon shadow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10:55 | 16:20 | 5 h 25 min | 4.8° | 11.9 m |
| February | 09:23 | 18:02 | 8 h 39 min | 13.3° | 4.2 m |
| March | 07:46 | 19:29 | 11 h 42 min | 23.9° | 2.3 m |
| April | 05:56 | 21:02 | 15 h 05 min | 35.7° | 1.4 m |
| May | 04:13 | 22:38 | 18 h 25 min | 44.8° | 1 m |
| June | 02:57 | 00:00 | 21 h 03 min | 49.2° | 0.9 m |
| July | 03:41 | 23:24 | 19 h 43 min | 47.3° | 0.9 m |
| August | 05:19 | 21:44 | 16 h 25 min | 39.8° | 1.2 m |
| September | 06:51 | 19:54 | 13 h 03 min | 28.7° | 1.8 m |
| October | 08:18 | 18:08 | 9 h 50 min | 17.2° | 3.2 m |
| November | 09:57 | 16:27 | 6 h 31 min | 7.3° | 7.8 m |
| December | 11:16 | 15:29 | 4 h 13 min | 2.6° | 22.3 m |
At the June solstice the midday sun reaches 49.3° above the horizon in Reykjavik and the day lasts 21 h 09 min. At the December solstice the sun climbs only to 2.4° and the day shrinks to 4 h 07 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.
Reykjavik through 2026 at a glance
| Longest day | 21 June | 21 h 09 min, 02:55–00:04 |
|---|---|---|
| Shortest day | 21 December | 4 h 07 min, 11:22–15:29 |
| Earliest sunrise | 20 June | 02:55 |
| Latest sunrise | 25 December | 11:23 |
| Earliest sunset | 18 December | 15:29 |
| Latest sunset | 22 June | 00:04, after midnight |
| Highest midday sun | 21 June | 49.3° |
| Lowest midday sun | 21 December | 2.4° |
| Sunrise direction | through the year | 20° NNE (21 June) to 152° SSE (21 December) |
| Sunset direction | through the year | 208° SSW (21 December) to 340° NNW (20 June) |
- At solar noon the sun in Reykjavik always stands due south, so the south side of a building, a garden or a roof is the one that gets the sun.
- White nights: from 19 May to 23 July the sun sets but never sinks more than 6° below the horizon, so it stays light enough to read outdoors all night.
- From 9 April to 1 September the sky over Reykjavik never gets fully dark: the sun stays less than 18° below the horizon all night, so there is no true astronomical night.
- The earliest sunset is on 18 December, 3 days before the shortest day (21 December), and the latest sunrise on 25 December, 4 days after it. Solar noon drifts through the year, so the darkest afternoon and the darkest morning do not fall on the shortest day.
- The longest day in Reykjavik is 17 h 02 min longer than the shortest, and around the equinoxes the days grow or shrink by up to 6.7 minutes a day.
The winter solstice 2026: the moment, and the shortest and the longest day, city by city →
Planning around the sun in Reykjavik
Solar panels
At 64.1° N a fixed array facing due south collects the most over a year at a tilt of about 52°. Use the solar panel angle calculator with the coordinates 64.1466°, -21.9426° 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 Reykjavik sits 2.4° above the horizon, so every obstacle casts a shadow 23.7 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 09:47–11:36 in the morning and 14:47–16:36 in the evening today, and the sun sets toward SW (228°). 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 Reykjavik
- Sun position in AberdeenUnited Kingdom
- Sun position in GlasgowUnited Kingdom
- Sun position in EdinburghUnited Kingdom
- Sun position in BelfastUnited Kingdom
On the same latitude
Reykjavik lies at 64.1° 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:
Questions
Sun questions about Reykjavik
What time is sunrise and sunset in Reykjavik today?
On 12 November 2026 the sun rises at 09:47 and sets at 16:36 in Reykjavik (UTC+0), giving 6 h 49 min of daylight.
What time is solar noon in Reykjavik today?
Solar noon is at 13:12, when the sun stands due south, 8.1° 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 Reykjavik?
On 21 June, with 21 h 09 min between sunrise at 02:55 and sunset at 00:04.
When is the shortest day of the year in Reykjavik?
On 21 December, with 4 h 07 min between sunrise at 11:22 and sunset at 15:29.
How high does the sun get in Reykjavik?
At solar noon the sun reaches 49.3° on 21 June, its highest of the year, and only 2.4° on 21 December. Today it climbs to 8.1°.
In which direction does the sun rise and set in Reykjavik?
Due east and due west only around the equinoxes. Through the year sunrise swings between 20° (NNE) and 152° (SSE), and sunset between 208° (SSW) and 340° (NNW).
What is the best angle for solar panels in Reykjavik?
Facing due south (azimuth 180°) at a tilt of about 52° for the most energy over a year. A steeper tilt favours the winter months and a flatter one the summer.
Does it get dark in Reykjavik in summer?
Not fully. From 9 April to 1 September the sun stays less than 18° below the horizon all night, and from 19 May to 23 July less than 6°: the white nights.
When is the earliest sunset in Reykjavik?
On 18 December at 15:29, 3 days before the shortest day. The latest sunrise is on 25 December at 11:23, so the evenings start getting lighter before the mornings do.
When do the days start getting longer in Reykjavik?
Straight after the shortest day, 21 December, but slowly at first: by 31 December the day is only 14 minutes longer, by 31 January 2 h 52 min longer and by 28 February 5 h 55 min longer. The evenings start getting lighter a little earlier, after the earliest sunset on 18 December.
What time does it get dark in Reykjavik in December?
On 1 December the sun sets at 15:47 and the sky is dark by about 16:58, when civil twilight ends. On 31 December sunset is at 15:41 and darkness at about 16:58.