London Sunrise & Sunset Today

Sunrise & Sunset in London: Complete Guide

In London, United Kingdom, the sun rises today at 06:36 and sets at 17:49, providing 11h 13m of daylight from its northern position at 51.5° latitude, where seasonal daylight swings are significant. The sun reaches its highest point at solar noon (12:13), when shadows are at their shortest for the day.

Sun Direction and Azimuth in London

The sun rises in the east in London, but the exact compass bearing shifts throughout the year. At the spring equinox (around March 20) and autumn equinox (around September 22), the sun rises almost due east at an azimuth of approximately 90 degrees. Near the summer solstice (around June 21 in the northern hemisphere), sunrise shifts to the northeast, while near the winter solstice (around December 21), it shifts to the southeast.

For photographers, knowing the azimuth matters: if you want the sun to illuminate a specific building or landscape feature from a particular angle, you need to know not just the time of sunrise but its compass direction on that date. At 51.5° latitude, the maximum azimuth deviation from due east at the solstices is approximately 29 degrees.

Golden Hour in London

The golden hour occurs twice daily in London, lasting approximately 30 to 50 minutes at this time of year. The morning golden hour runs from civil dawn until roughly one hour after sunrise, casting long, warm shadows across London. The evening golden hour begins about one hour before sunset and continues until civil dusk.

During golden hour, the sun's low angle means light travels through significantly more atmosphere than at midday, filtering out blue wavelengths and producing warm orange and red tones. The color temperature drops from the standard 5,500K of midday light to around 3,000 to 4,000K at golden hour, similar to a candle flame. This warm, directional light creates long shadows that add depth to any scene.

For photographers in London, optimal golden hour shooting technique requires: arriving 30 to 45 minutes before the listed golden hour start to scout compositions and set up equipment; using a tripod for sharpness in lower light; setting ISO to 100 to 400 to minimize noise; using an aperture of f/8 to f/16 for maximum landscape sharpness; and using a shutter speed of 1/1000s if shooting handheld. As light fades toward golden hour end, increase ISO to maintain exposure rather than opening the aperture beyond f/4.

Photography tip for London: Tower Bridge catches warm sunrise light on its north face. Shoot from Potters Fields Park for the classic angle.

Blue Hour and Twilight in London

Blue hour in London occurs at civil and nautical twilight, both morning and evening. When the sun sits between 4 and 8 degrees below the horizon, scattered sunlight illuminates the upper atmosphere in deep indigo and cobalt blue tones, ideal for cityscapes and architectural photography. Blue hour typically lasts 20 to 40 minutes and occurs twice daily: before sunrise (morning blue hour) and after sunset (evening blue hour).

The three stages of twilight in London follow a precise sequence. Civil twilight occurs when the sun is 0 to 6 degrees below the horizon: enough light remains for outdoor activities without artificial lighting, and the brightest stars become visible. Nautical twilight covers the 6 to 12 degree range: the horizon remains visible at sea, but artificial light is needed for most tasks on land. Astronomical twilight spans 12 to 18 degrees below the horizon: the sky is dark enough for most astronomical observations, though the faintest objects require full night (sun more than 18 degrees below the horizon).

Blue hour photography in London requires different camera settings than golden hour. Because light levels are lower, a tripod is essential for sharp images. Recommended settings: ISO 400 to 1,600 depending on scene brightness; aperture f/8 for maximum depth of field; shutter speed 15 to 60 seconds to allow sufficient light. Shoot in RAW format to retain maximum detail in the blue-toned shadows. Use a cable release or 2-second timer to avoid camera shake during long exposures.

Seasonal Changes in London

At latitude 51.5°, London experiences dramatic seasonal changes in daylight throughout the year. The difference in daylight between the longest and shortest days reaches approximately 8 to 10 hours, peaking in June and reaching its minimum in December.

Near the equinoxes (March and September), day length in London changes fastest, gaining or losing approximately 3 to 4 minutes of daylight per day. Near the solstices, day length changes slowly, gaining or losing less than 30 seconds per day near the peak. This phenomenon, known as the solstice effect, means that late June offers the most stable golden hour window before rapid day-length changes resume in July.

Solar Events and Solstices in London

Four major solar events define the year in London. The spring equinox (around March 20) brings equal day and night, after which days grow longer through the summer months. The summer solstice (around June 21) is the longest day of the year at London's latitude. The autumn equinox (around September 22) marks the return to equal day and night, after which days shorten. The winter solstice (around December 21) is the shortest day, when the sun rises at its most southeastern point and reaches its lowest arc across the sky.

For photographers, the solstices offer unique lighting geometry that is unavailable on any other day of the year. At the winter solstice in London, sunrise occurs at its most southeastern azimuth, allowing the sun to illuminate north-facing subjects at sunrise that are in shadow during most of the year. At the summer solstice, sunrise occurs at its most northeastern azimuth, illuminating south-facing facades at dawn. Planning solstice shoots 2 to 3 weeks in advance and checking weather forecasts in the days before maximizes the chance of capturing this annual light.

Photography Planning Guide for London

Planning a successful sunrise or sunset shoot in London requires coordinating three elements: the exact sun position for your target date, the right camera settings for the light level, and weather conditions that favor dramatic light. For sunrise photography, the checklist is: check today's sunrise time on this page; arrive at your location 30 to 45 minutes before sunrise to set up during blue hour; check weather forecasts the night before (partly cloudy skies create more dramatic golden hour light than perfectly clear or fully overcast skies); and have your camera on a tripod with settings ready to adjust as light levels change quickly.

Recommended camera settings by phase in London:

• Astronomical twilight (90 minutes before sunrise): ISO 3,200; aperture f/2.8; shutter speed 30 seconds. Stars are still visible.
• Nautical twilight (60 minutes before sunrise): ISO 1,600; aperture f/4; shutter speed 15 seconds. City lights balance with deep blue sky.
• Blue hour (30 minutes before sunrise): ISO 800; aperture f/8; shutter speed 10 to 30 seconds on tripod. Cobalt blue sky with sharp foreground.
• Golden hour (sunrise to 60 minutes after): ISO 100 to 400; aperture f/8 to f/16; shutter speed 1/250 to 1/1,000s handheld. Warm directional light, long shadows.
• Full daylight (2 or more hours after sunrise): ISO 100; aperture f/8; shutter speed 1/250 to 1/2,000s. Neutral light, best for detail shots.

Apps that help photographers plan shoots in London: PhotoPills and The Photographer's Ephemeris both show precise sun azimuth and elevation for any date and location. Both apps allow you to overlay the sun's path on a map to predict exactly where sunrise light will fall on specific buildings or landscapes.

Moon and Night Sky in London

Tonight's moon in London is in the Waning Gibbous phase at 88% illumination. The moon rises at 21:53 and sets at 07:22. For astrophotography in London, the best conditions for capturing the Milky Way and deep-sky objects occur during new moon nights, when the sky is darkest. The moon's current 88% illumination creates significant sky glow that reduces the visibility of faint stars and nebulae. Wait for the moon to set before attempting astrophotography this evening.

About This Data

All sunrise and sunset times for London are calculated using the Jean Meeus astronomical algorithms from Astronomical Algorithms (1991), implemented through the SunCalc library. Calculations use the precise coordinates of London(51.5074°, -0.1278°) and the local timezone (Europe/London). Times are accurate to within 1 minute and account for atmospheric refraction at the horizon.

For independent verification, the US Naval Observatory (USNO) provides authoritative sunrise and sunset tables at aa.usno.navy.mil. Our computed times match USNO values within the stated 1-minute accuracy for all tested locations. Times are recalculated daily and cached for 24 hours. All data is provided for informational purposes.