China · Asia

Longest and shortest day in Nanjing

In Nanjing, China, the longest day of 2026 is around the June solstice on Sunday, 21 June 2026, with 14h 15m of daylight, and the shortest is around the December solstice on Monday, 21 December 2026, with 10h 3m.

Nanjing sunrise, sunset and day length on the 2026 solstices and equinoxes, in local time
Turning pointDateSunriseSunsetDay length
March equinoxFriday, 20 March 202606:0918:1612h 7m
June solsticeSunday, 21 June 202604:5919:1414h 15m
September equinoxTuesday, 22 September 202605:5218:0212h 9m
December solsticeMonday, 21 December 202607:0117:0410h 3m
Nanjing day length month by month (around the 15th)
MonthSunriseSunsetDay length
January07:0517:2210h 17m
February06:4717:5011h 3m
March06:1518:1211h 56m
April05:3618:3312h 57m
May05:0718:5413h 47m
June04:5819:1214h 14m
July05:0919:1214h 3m
August05:2918:4913h 20m
September05:4818:1112h 23m
October06:0817:3211h 25m
November06:3317:0510h 32m
December06:5717:0110h 4m

Why the day gets longer and shorter in Nanjing

Earth's axis is tilted about 23.4 degrees, so as the planet orbits the Sun, Nanjing 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 Nanjing sits from the equator: the further away, the bigger the difference between the longest and shortest day.

Frequently asked questions about day length in Nanjing

When is the longest day in Nanjing?

The longest day in Nanjing falls around the June solstice, on Sunday, 21 June 2026 in 2026, with about 14h 15m of daylight, sunrise at 04:59 and sunset at 19:14.

When is the shortest day in Nanjing?

The shortest day in Nanjing falls around the December solstice, on Monday, 21 December 2026 in 2026, with about 10h 3m of daylight, sunrise at 07:01 and sunset at 17:04.

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

Between the longest and shortest day, Nanjing gains and loses about 4h 12m of daylight. The change is fastest around the March and September equinoxes and slowest near the solstices.

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

Day length in nearby cities

More light in Nanjing