Question 1

How many hours of daylight does Cape Town get today?

Accepted Answer

Cape Town currently gets approximately 13 hours and 10 minutes of daylight today. This varies throughout the year — days are longest around the summer solstice (June in the Northern Hemisphere, December in the Southern Hemisphere) and shortest around the winter solstice. At 33.9° latitude, Cape Town sees moderate variation, with summer days noticeably longer than winter days. Our calculations use the SunCalc astronomical library for accuracy within 1–2 minutes.

Question 2

What time does the sun rise in Cape Town?

Accepted Answer

Sunrise times in Cape Town change throughout the year based on the Earth's axial tilt and the city's position at 33.9° latitude. Use the table above to see today's exact sunrise time, as well as dawn (civil twilight) and other twilight phases. The earliest sunrise typically occurs around the summer solstice, while the latest sunrise happens near the winter solstice. The difference between earliest and latest sunrise can be over two hours. All sunrise calculations are based on NOAA solar position algorithms via the SunCalc library.

Question 3

What time does the sun set in Cape Town?

Accepted Answer

Sunset times in Cape Town vary by season due to the Earth's orbital mechanics and the city's latitude of 33.9°. Check the table above for today's exact sunset time, including dusk and twilight phases. The latest sunset typically occurs a few days after the summer solstice, while the earliest sunset happens a few days before the winter solstice. At mid-latitudes, you can expect sunset to vary by 2–3 hours across the seasons.

Question 4

How does day length change throughout the year in Cape Town?

Accepted Answer

Cape Town at 33.9° latitude experiences moderate seasonal day length variation. Summer days are noticeably longer than winter days, with daylight typically ranging from about 8 to 16 hours depending on the time of year. The rate of change is fastest around the equinoxes (March and September), when day length changes by several minutes each day. Around the solstices, the rate of change slows as day length approaches its maximum or minimum. This makes spring and autumn the seasons with the most noticeable daily changes in sunrise and sunset times.

Question 5

What is civil twilight in Cape Town?

Accepted Answer

Civil twilight in Cape Town is the period when the sun is between 0° and 6° below the horizon. During civil twilight, there is enough natural light for most outdoor activities without artificial lighting. It occurs just before sunrise (dawn) and just after sunset (dusk). At mid-latitudes, civil twilight typically lasts about 25–35 minutes. The exact duration for Cape Town is shown in the twilight data table above.

Question 6

What are the different twilight phases?

Accepted Answer

There are three twilight phases, each defined by the sun's angle below the horizon. Civil twilight (0°–6°) is the brightest phase, with enough light for outdoor activities without artificial lighting. Nautical twilight (6°–12°) is dimmer but still allows sailors to see the horizon for celestial navigation. Astronomical twilight (12°–18°) is nearly dark, with only the faintest glow on the horizon, and most stars become visible. Below 18° is considered full astronomical night. The duration of each phase varies by latitude and season — our data table above shows all twilight phases for Cape Town.

Question 7

When is the longest day in Cape Town?

Accepted Answer

The longest day in Cape Town occurs around the summer solstice. For Cape Town in the Southern Hemisphere, the longest day is around December 21–22. On this date, Cape Town experiences its earliest sunrise and near-latest sunset of the year. At 33.9° latitude, the longest day is typically 14–16 hours of daylight. The shortest day (winter solstice) occurs approximately six months later.

Question 8

Does daylight saving time affect sunrise and sunset times in Cape Town?

Accepted Answer

Cape Town does not observe daylight saving time, so sunrise and sunset times change only due to natural seasonal variation throughout the year. The gradual shift in sunrise and sunset times follows a smooth curve driven by the Earth's axial tilt and orbital position. This makes it easier to predict sunrise and sunset patterns in Cape Town compared to cities that observe DST, where clock changes create abrupt jumps in the schedule.

Astronomical Dawn	4:27:57 AM
Nautical Dawn	4:59:56 AM
Civil Dawn	5:30:47 AM
Sunrise	5:56:43 AM
Golden Hour End	6:30:23 AM
Solar Noon	12:31:49 PM
Golden Hour Start	6:33:15 PM
Sunset	7:06:56 PM
Civil Dusk	7:32:52 PM
Nautical Dusk	8:03:42 PM
Astronomical Dusk	8:35:41 PM
Day Length	13h 10m

Moonrise	4:26:13 PM
Moonset	4:06:56 AM
Moon Phase	🌔 Waxing Gibbous
Illumination	91%

Date	Sunrise	Sunset	Day Length	Moonrise	Moonset	Phase
Oct 1, Thu	6:24 AM	6:49 PM	12h 25m	12:22 AM	9:07 AM	🌖
Oct 2, Fri	6:23 AM	6:50 PM	12h 27m	1:28 AM	10:05 AM	🌗
Oct 3, Sat	6:22 AM	6:51 PM	12h 29m	—	11:11 AM	🌗
Oct 4, Sun	6:20 AM	6:51 PM	12h 31m	2:25 AM	12:23 PM	🌗
Oct 5, Mon	6:19 AM	6:52 PM	12h 33m	3:12 AM	1:37 PM	🌘
Oct 6, Tue	6:18 AM	6:53 PM	12h 35m	3:52 AM	2:48 PM	🌘
Oct 7, Wed	6:16 AM	6:54 PM	12h 37m	4:26 AM	3:57 PM	🌘
Oct 8, Thu	6:15 AM	6:54 PM	12h 39m	4:55 AM	5:02 PM	🌘
Oct 9, Fri	6:14 AM	6:55 PM	12h 42m	5:23 AM	6:05 PM	🌑
Oct 10, Sat	6:12 AM	6:56 PM	12h 44m	5:50 AM	7:07 PM	🌑
Oct 11, Sun	6:11 AM	6:57 PM	12h 46m	6:18 AM	8:09 PM	🌑
Oct 12, Mon	6:10 AM	6:57 PM	12h 48m	6:48 AM	9:10 PM	🌒
Oct 13, Tue	6:08 AM	6:58 PM	12h 50m	7:21 AM	10:11 PM	🌒
Oct 14, Wed	6:07 AM	6:59 PM	12h 52m	7:59 AM	11:09 PM	🌒
Oct 15, Thu	6:06 AM	7:00 PM	12h 54m	8:44 AM	12:04 AM	🌒
Oct 16, Fri	6:05 AM	7:01 PM	12h 56m	9:33 AM	12:52 AM	🌒
Oct 17, Sat	6:03 AM	7:01 PM	12h 58m	10:28 AM	1:34 AM	🌓
Oct 18, Sun	6:02 AM	7:02 PM	13h 0m	11:26 AM	—	🌓
Oct 19, Mon	6:01 AM	7:03 PM	13h 2m	12:25 PM	2:11 AM	🌓
Oct 20, Tue	6:00 AM	7:04 PM	13h 4m	1:25 PM	2:44 AM	🌓
Oct 21, Wed	5:59 AM	7:05 PM	13h 6m	2:25 PM	3:13 AM	🌔
Oct 22, Thu	5:57 AM	7:06 PM	13h 8m	3:25 PM	3:40 AM	🌔
Oct 23, Fri	5:56 AM	7:06 PM	13h 10m	4:26 PM	4:06 AM	🌔
Oct 24, Sat	5:55 AM	7:07 PM	13h 12m	5:28 PM	4:33 AM	🌔
Oct 25, Sun	5:54 AM	7:08 PM	13h 14m	6:34 PM	5:03 AM	🌕
Oct 26, Mon	5:53 AM	7:09 PM	13h 16m	7:43 PM	5:34 AM	🌕
Oct 27, Tue	5:52 AM	7:10 PM	13h 18m	8:53 PM	6:12 AM	🌕
Oct 28, Wed	5:51 AM	7:11 PM	13h 20m	10:04 PM	6:58 AM	🌖
Oct 29, Thu	5:50 AM	7:12 PM	13h 22m	11:13 PM	7:52 AM	🌖
Oct 30, Fri	5:49 AM	7:13 PM	13h 24m	12:13 AM	8:56 AM	🌖
Oct 31, Sat	5:48 AM	7:14 PM	13h 26m	1:04 AM	10:06 AM	🌗

Sunrise & Sunset in Cape Town, South Africa

Sun Times

Moon

Monthly Summary — October 2026

Twilight Phases in Cape Town

Holidays in South Africa

Explore Cape Town

Frequently Asked Questions about Sunrise & Sunset in Cape Town

Sunrise & Sunset in Other Cities