Sun times in Riga on 12 November 2026
| Sunrise | 07:58 | rises toward ESE (122°) |
|---|---|---|
| Solar noon | 12:08 | sun 15.3° above the horizon |
| Sunset | 16:17 | sets toward WSW (237°) |
| Day length | 8 h 19 min | |
| Civil dawn | 07:15 | first usable light |
| Civil dusk | 17:00 | last usable light |
| Golden hour, morning | 07:58–09:03 | warm low light |
| Golden hour, evening | 15:12–16:17 | warm low light |
| Shadow at noon | 3.66 m | per metre of height |
Times are computed for 56.9496°, 24.1052° 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 Riga.
The sun’s path over Riga
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 Riga. On 21 June the sun rises at 41° (NE), climbs to 56.5° at solar noon and sets at 319° (NW). On 21 December the sun rises at 135° (SE), climbs to 9.6° at solar noon and sets at 225° (SW).
The sun through the year in Riga
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | Noon altitude | Noon shadow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 08:50 | 16:16 | 7 h 26 min | 12.0° | 4.7 m |
| February | 07:52 | 17:24 | 9 h 33 min | 20.5° | 2.7 m |
| March | 06:40 | 18:27 | 11 h 47 min | 31.0° | 1.7 m |
| April | 06:16 | 20:33 | 14 h 17 min | 42.9° | 1.1 m |
| May | 05:06 | 21:35 | 16 h 30 min | 52.0° | 0.8 m |
| June | 04:29 | 22:19 | 17 h 50 min | 56.4° | 0.7 m |
| July | 04:52 | 22:06 | 17 h 15 min | 54.5° | 0.7 m |
| August | 05:51 | 21:04 | 15 h 13 min | 47.0° | 0.9 m |
| September | 06:54 | 19:42 | 12 h 48 min | 36.0° | 1.4 m |
| October | 07:56 | 18:21 | 10 h 25 min | 24.5° | 2.2 m |
| November | 08:04 | 16:11 | 8 h 07 min | 14.5° | 3.9 m |
| December | 08:55 | 15:42 | 6 h 46 min | 9.8° | 5.8 m |
At the June solstice the midday sun reaches 56.5° above the horizon in Riga and the day lasts 17 h 53 min. At the December solstice the sun climbs only to 9.6° and the day shrinks to 6 h 43 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.
Riga through 2026 at a glance
| Longest day | 21 June | 17 h 53 min, 04:29–22:22 |
|---|---|---|
| Shortest day | 21 December | 6 h 43 min, 09:00–15:43 |
| Earliest sunrise | 18 June | 04:29 |
| Latest sunrise | 28 December | 09:02 |
| Earliest sunset | 15 December | 15:42 |
| Latest sunset | 24 June | 22:22 |
| Highest midday sun | 21 June | 56.5° |
| Lowest midday sun | 21 December | 9.6° |
| Sunrise direction | through the year | 41° NE (21 June) to 135° SE (22 December) |
| Sunset direction | through the year | 225° SW (21 December) to 319° NW (21 June) |
- At solar noon the sun in Riga always stands due south, so the south side of a building, a garden or a roof is the one that gets the sun.
- From 1 May to 10 August the sky over Riga 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 15 December, 6 days before the shortest day (21 December), and the latest sunrise on 28 December, 7 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 Riga is 11 h 09 min longer than the shortest, and around the equinoxes the days grow or shrink by up to 4.9 minutes a day.
The winter solstice 2026: the moment, and the shortest and the longest day, city by city →
Planning around the sun in Riga
Solar panels
At 56.9° N a fixed array facing due south collects the most over a year at a tilt of about 46°. Use the solar panel angle calculator with the coordinates 56.9496°, 24.1052° 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 Riga sits 9.6° above the horizon, so every obstacle casts a shadow 5.9 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 07:58–09:03 in the morning and 15:12–16:17 in the evening today, and the sun sets toward WSW (237°). 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 Riga
- Sun position in VilniusLithuania
- Sun position in TallinnEstonia
- Sun position in HelsinkiFinland
- Sun position in MinskBelarus
On the same latitude
Riga lies at 56.9° 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 Riga
What time is sunrise and sunset in Riga today?
On 12 November 2026 the sun rises at 07:58 and sets at 16:17 in Riga (UTC+2), giving 8 h 19 min of daylight.
What time is solar noon in Riga today?
Solar noon is at 12:08, when the sun stands due south, 15.3° 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 Riga?
On 21 June, with 17 h 53 min between sunrise at 04:29 and sunset at 22:22.
When is the shortest day of the year in Riga?
On 21 December, with 6 h 43 min between sunrise at 09:00 and sunset at 15:43.
How high does the sun get in Riga?
At solar noon the sun reaches 56.5° on 21 June, its highest of the year, and only 9.6° on 21 December. Today it climbs to 15.3°.
In which direction does the sun rise and set in Riga?
Due east and due west only around the equinoxes. Through the year sunrise swings between 41° (NE) and 135° (SE), and sunset between 225° (SW) and 319° (NW).
What is the best angle for solar panels in Riga?
Facing due south (azimuth 180°) at a tilt of about 46° 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 Riga in summer?
Not fully. From 1 May to 10 August the sun stays less than 18° below the horizon all night.
When is the earliest sunset in Riga?
On 15 December at 15:42, 6 days before the shortest day. The latest sunrise is on 28 December at 09:02, so the evenings start getting lighter before the mornings do.
When do the days start getting longer in Riga?
Straight after the shortest day, 21 December, but slowly at first: by 31 December the day is only 7 minutes longer, by 31 January 1 h 41 min longer and by 28 February 3 h 50 min longer. The evenings start getting lighter a little earlier, after the earliest sunset on 15 December.
What time does it get dark in Riga in December?
On 1 December the sun sets at 15:49 and the sky is dark by about 16:36, when civil twilight ends. On 31 December sunset is at 15:52 and darkness at about 16:41.