Longest and shortest day in Istanbul
In Istanbul, Turkey, the longest day of 2026 is around the June solstice on Sunday, 21 June 2026, with 15h 8m of daylight, and the shortest is around the December solstice on Monday, 21 December 2026, with 9h 13m.
| Turning point | Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | Friday, 20 March 2026 | 07:07 | 19:16 | 12h 8m |
| June solstice | Sunday, 21 June 2026 | 05:32 | 20:39 | 15h 8m |
| September equinox | Tuesday, 22 September 2026 | 06:51 | 19:01 | 12h 10m |
| December solstice | Monday, 21 December 2026 | 08:25 | 17:38 | 9h 13m |
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 08:26 | 18:00 | 9h 33m |
| February | 07:59 | 18:37 | 10h 39m |
| March | 07:16 | 19:10 | 11h 54m |
| April | 06:25 | 19:43 | 13h 18m |
| May | 05:46 | 20:14 | 14h 28m |
| June | 05:31 | 20:37 | 15h 7m |
| July | 05:44 | 20:35 | 14h 50m |
| August | 06:13 | 20:02 | 13h 49m |
| September | 06:44 | 19:13 | 12h 29m |
| October | 07:15 | 18:23 | 11h 9m |
| November | 07:51 | 17:45 | 9h 54m |
| December | 08:21 | 17:36 | 9h 15m |
Why the day gets longer and shorter in Istanbul
Earth's axis is tilted about 23.4 degrees, so as the planet orbits the Sun, Istanbul 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 Istanbul sits from the equator: the further away, the bigger the difference between the longest and shortest day.
Frequently asked questions about day length in Istanbul
When is the longest day in Istanbul?
The longest day in Istanbul falls around the June solstice, on Sunday, 21 June 2026 in 2026, with about 15h 8m of daylight, sunrise at 05:32 and sunset at 20:39.
When is the shortest day in Istanbul?
The shortest day in Istanbul falls around the December solstice, on Monday, 21 December 2026 in 2026, with about 9h 13m of daylight, sunrise at 08:25 and sunset at 17:38.
How much does day length change through the year in Istanbul?
Between the longest and shortest day, Istanbul gains and loses about 5h 55m of daylight. The change is fastest around the March and September equinoxes and slowest near the solstices.
Every figure is computed from Istanbul's coordinates with SunCalc, not looked up from a table.