Longest and shortest day in Wellington
In Wellington, New Zealand, the longest day of 2026 is around the December solstice on Monday, 21 December 2026, with 15h 10m of daylight, and the shortest is around the June solstice on Sunday, 21 June 2026, with 9h 11m.
| Turning point | Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | Friday, 20 March 2026 | 07:21 | 19:35 | 12h 13m |
| June solstice | Sunday, 21 June 2026 | 07:46 | 16:58 | 9h 11m |
| September equinox | Tuesday, 22 September 2026 | 06:11 | 18:17 | 12h 6m |
| December solstice | Monday, 21 December 2026 | 05:43 | 20:53 | 15h 10m |
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 06:03 | 20:55 | 14h 51m |
| February | 06:42 | 20:26 | 13h 44m |
| March | 07:16 | 19:43 | 12h 28m |
| April | 06:50 | 17:51 | 11h 1m |
| May | 07:21 | 17:12 | 9h 51m |
| June | 07:44 | 16:57 | 9h 13m |
| July | 07:43 | 17:10 | 9h 28m |
| August | 07:12 | 17:39 | 10h 27m |
| September | 06:23 | 18:10 | 11h 47m |
| October | 06:34 | 19:40 | 13h 6m |
| November | 05:53 | 20:17 | 14h 24m |
| December | 05:41 | 20:49 | 15h 8m |
Why the day gets longer and shorter in Wellington
Earth's axis is tilted about 23.4 degrees, so as the planet orbits the Sun, Wellington 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 Wellington sits from the equator: the further away, the bigger the difference between the longest and shortest day.
Frequently asked questions about day length in Wellington
When is the longest day in Wellington?
The longest day in Wellington falls around the December solstice, on Monday, 21 December 2026 in 2026, with about 15h 10m of daylight, sunrise at 05:43 and sunset at 20:53.
When is the shortest day in Wellington?
The shortest day in Wellington falls around the June solstice, on Sunday, 21 June 2026 in 2026, with about 9h 11m of daylight, sunrise at 07:46 and sunset at 16:58.
How much does day length change through the year in Wellington?
Between the longest and shortest day, Wellington gains and loses about 5h 59m of daylight. The change is fastest around the March and September equinoxes and slowest near the solstices.
Every figure is computed from Wellington's coordinates with SunCalc, not looked up from a table.