Longest and shortest day in Cape Town
In Cape Town, South Africa, the longest day of 2026 is around the December solstice on Monday, 21 December 2026, with 14h 25m of daylight, and the shortest is around the June solstice on Sunday, 21 June 2026, with 9h 54m.
| Turning point | Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | Friday, 20 March 2026 | 06:49 | 18:57 | 12h 8m |
| June solstice | Sunday, 21 June 2026 | 07:51 | 17:44 | 9h 54m |
| September equinox | Tuesday, 22 September 2026 | 06:35 | 18:42 | 12h 7m |
| December solstice | Monday, 21 December 2026 | 05:31 | 19:56 | 14h 25m |
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 05:50 | 20:00 | 14h 10m |
| February | 06:21 | 19:39 | 13h 18m |
| March | 06:45 | 19:04 | 12h 19m |
| April | 07:08 | 18:23 | 11h 15m |
| May | 07:31 | 17:53 | 10h 22m |
| June | 07:49 | 17:43 | 9h 54m |
| July | 07:49 | 17:55 | 10h 6m |
| August | 07:25 | 18:16 | 10h 51m |
| September | 06:45 | 18:37 | 11h 52m |
| October | 06:04 | 18:59 | 12h 55m |
| November | 05:34 | 19:27 | 13h 53m |
| December | 05:29 | 19:53 | 14h 24m |
Why the day gets longer and shorter in Cape Town
Earth's axis is tilted about 23.4 degrees, so as the planet orbits the Sun, Cape Town 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 Cape Town sits from the equator: the further away, the bigger the difference between the longest and shortest day.
Frequently asked questions about day length in Cape Town
When is the longest day in Cape Town?
The longest day in Cape Town falls around the December solstice, on Monday, 21 December 2026 in 2026, with about 14h 25m of daylight, sunrise at 05:31 and sunset at 19:56.
When is the shortest day in Cape Town?
The shortest day in Cape Town falls around the June solstice, on Sunday, 21 June 2026 in 2026, with about 9h 54m of daylight, sunrise at 07:51 and sunset at 17:44.
How much does day length change through the year in Cape Town?
Between the longest and shortest day, Cape Town gains and loses about 4h 31m of daylight. The change is fastest around the March and September equinoxes and slowest near the solstices.
Every figure is computed from Cape Town's coordinates with SunCalc, not looked up from a table.