China · Asia

Longest and shortest day in Beijing

In Beijing, China, the longest day of 2026 is around the June solstice on Sunday, 21 June 2026, with 15h 0m of daylight, and the shortest is around the December solstice on Monday, 21 December 2026, with 9h 20m.

Beijing sunrise, sunset and day length on the 2026 solstices and equinoxes, in local time
Turning pointDateSunriseSunsetDay length
March equinoxFriday, 20 March 202606:1818:2512h 7m
June solsticeSunday, 21 June 202604:4519:4615h 0m
September equinoxTuesday, 22 September 202606:0118:1212h 11m
December solsticeMonday, 21 December 202607:3216:529h 20m
Beijing day length month by month (around the 15th)
MonthSunriseSunsetDay length
January07:3417:139h 39m
February07:0717:4910h 42m
March06:2618:2011h 54m
April05:3718:5213h 14m
May05:0019:2214h 22m
June04:4519:4414h 59m
July04:5819:4214h 44m
August05:2519:1113h 46m
September05:5418:2312h 29m
October06:2417:3511h 11m
November06:5816:5810h 0m
December07:2816:509h 22m

Why the day gets longer and shorter in Beijing

Earth's axis is tilted about 23.4 degrees, so as the planet orbits the Sun, Beijing leans toward the Sun for part of the year and away for the rest. When it leans toward the Sun the days lengthen and the Sun climbs higher; half a year later the opposite happens. The size of the swing depends on how far Beijing sits from the equator: the further away, the bigger the difference between the longest and shortest day.

Frequently asked questions about day length in Beijing

When is the longest day in Beijing?

The longest day in Beijing falls around the June solstice, on Sunday, 21 June 2026 in 2026, with about 15h 0m of daylight, sunrise at 04:45 and sunset at 19:46.

When is the shortest day in Beijing?

The shortest day in Beijing falls around the December solstice, on Monday, 21 December 2026 in 2026, with about 9h 20m of daylight, sunrise at 07:32 and sunset at 16:52.

How much does day length change through the year in Beijing?

Between the longest and shortest day, Beijing gains and loses about 5h 40m of daylight. The change is fastest around the March and September equinoxes and slowest near the solstices.

Every figure is computed from Beijing's coordinates with SunCalc, not looked up from a table.

Day length in nearby cities

More light in Beijing