Sun times in Shanghai on 24 September 2026
| Sunrise | 05:44 | rises toward E (90°) |
|---|---|---|
| Solar noon | 11:48 | sun 58.5° above the horizon |
| Sunset | 17:51 | sets toward W (270°) |
| Day length | 12 h 06 min | |
| Civil dawn | 05:20 | first usable light |
| Civil dusk | 18:15 | last usable light |
| Golden hour, morning | 05:44–06:16 | warm low light |
| Golden hour, evening | 17:19–17:51 | warm low light |
| Shadow at noon | 0.61 m | per metre of height |
Times are computed for 31.2304°, 121.4737° 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 Shanghai.
The sun through the year in Shanghai
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | Noon altitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 06:55 | 17:14 | 10 h 20 min | 37.6° |
| February | 06:37 | 17:42 | 11 h 05 min | 45.9° |
| March | 06:06 | 18:03 | 11 h 56 min | 56.4° |
| April | 05:28 | 18:23 | 12 h 55 min | 68.4° |
| May | 05:00 | 18:44 | 13 h 43 min | 77.5° |
| June | 04:51 | 19:01 | 14 h 10 min | 82.0° |
| July | 05:01 | 19:01 | 14 h 00 min | 80.4° |
| August | 05:21 | 18:40 | 13 h 19 min | 73.0° |
| September | 05:39 | 18:03 | 12 h 23 min | 62.0° |
| October | 05:58 | 17:25 | 11 h 27 min | 50.4° |
| November | 06:22 | 16:58 | 10 h 36 min | 40.4° |
| December | 06:46 | 16:54 | 10 h 08 min | 35.5° |
At the June solstice the midday sun reaches 82.2° above the horizon in Shanghai and the day lasts 14 h 11 min. At the December solstice the sun climbs only to 35.3° and the day shrinks to 10 h 07 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 Shanghai
Solar panels
At this latitude a fixed array facing the equator collects the most over a year at a tilt of about 27°. Use the solar panel angle calculator with the coordinates 31.2304°, 121.4737° 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 Shanghai sits 35.3° above the horizon, so every obstacle casts a shadow 1.4 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 05:44–06:16 in the morning and 17:19–17:51 in the evening today, and the sun sets toward sets toward W (270°). 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.