When do the days get longer in London? Shortest day December 21
In London the shortest day is December 21 with 7h 50m of daylight. The earliest sunset is on December 12, the latest sunrise on December 30 – by January 26 the day is an hour longer.
- The shortest day, the earliest sunset, the latest sunrise – and how quickly the light comes back, week by week.
- Shortest day: December 21 (7h 50m)
- Earliest sunset: December 12, 15:51
- Latest sunrise: December 30, 08:06
- The earliest sunset comes about ten days before the shortest day, the latest sunrise about ten days after it. The reason is the equation of time: around the solstice the sun reaches its highest point a little later every day, so the whole day shifts towards the evening. That is why the evenings are already getting lighter while the mornings are still getting darker.
Week by week after the shortest day
- December 21: Sunrise 08:03 · Sunset 15:53 · Day length 7h 50m · Gained +0h 00m
- December 28: Sunrise 08:06 · Sunset 15:58 · Day length 7h 52m · Gained +0h 02m
- January 4: Sunrise 08:05 · Sunset 16:05 · Day length 8h 00m · Gained +0h 10m
- January 11: Sunrise 08:02 · Sunset 16:14 · Day length 8h 12m · Gained +0h 22m
- January 18: Sunrise 07:56 · Sunset 16:25 · Day length 8h 28m · Gained +0h 38m
- January 25: Sunrise 07:49 · Sunset 16:37 · Day length 8h 48m · Gained +0h 58m
- February 1: Sunrise 07:39 · Sunset 16:49 · Day length 9h 10m · Gained +1h 20m
- February 8: Sunrise 07:27 · Sunset 17:02 · Day length 9h 35m · Gained +1h 45m
- February 15: Sunrise 07:14 · Sunset 17:15 · Day length 10h 00m · Gained +2h 10m
- February 22: Sunrise 07:01 · Sunset 17:27 · Day length 10h 27m · Gained +2h 37m
- March 1: Sunrise 06:46 · Sunset 17:40 · Day length 10h 54m · Gained +3h 04m
- March 8: Sunrise 06:31 · Sunset 17:52 · Day length 11h 22m · Gained +3h 32m
- March 15: Sunrise 06:15 · Sunset 18:04 · Day length 11h 49m · Gained +3h 59m
- March 22: Sunrise 05:59 · Sunset 18:16 · Day length 12h 17m · Gained +4h 27m
- March 29: Sunrise 06:43 · Sunset 19:28 · Day length 12h 45m · Gained +4h 55m
- April 5: Sunrise 06:27 · Sunset 19:40 · Day length 13h 12m · Gained +5h 22m
- April 12: Sunrise 06:12 · Sunset 19:51 · Day length 13h 40m · Gained +5h 50m
- Sunrise & Sunset London Today
- Golden Hour London Today
- Blue Hour London Today
- Milky Way London
- Night Sky London in September
- Solar Eclipses in London
- Solar Yield London
- Clock Change 2026 in London
- Solar Eclipse 2027 London
- When Does It Get Dark in London? Dusk Today & Table
- Northern Lights London
- Moonrise and Moonset London Today
- Sunrise and Sunset London September 2026
- Sun Position London Now
- Solunar Times London Today