Question 1

How many hours of daylight does Cape Town get today?

Accepted Answer

Cape Town currently gets approximately 11 hours and 35 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	5:35:35 AM
Nautical Dawn	6:04:33 AM
Civil Dawn	6:33:29 AM
Sunrise	6:58:30 AM
Golden Hour End	7:31:53 AM
Solar Noon	12:45:56 PM
Golden Hour Start	5:59:59 PM
Sunset	6:33:22 PM
Civil Dusk	6:58:23 PM
Nautical Dusk	7:27:19 PM
Astronomical Dusk	7:56:17 PM
Day Length	11h 35m

Moonrise	4:34:38 AM
Moonset	2:42:19 PM
Moon Phase	🌘 Waning Crescent
Illumination	16%

Date	Sunrise	Sunset	Day Length	Moonrise	Moonset	Phase
Sep 1, Tue	7:06 AM	6:29 PM	11h 23m	11:05 PM	9:05 AM	🌖
Sep 2, Wed	7:05 AM	6:30 PM	11h 25m	12:17 AM	9:41 AM	🌖
Sep 3, Thu	7:03 AM	6:30 PM	11h 27m	1:29 AM	10:24 AM	🌗
Sep 4, Fri	7:02 AM	6:31 PM	11h 29m	—	11:17 AM	🌗
Sep 5, Sat	7:01 AM	6:32 PM	11h 31m	2:39 AM	12:19 PM	🌗
Sep 6, Sun	6:59 AM	6:32 PM	11h 33m	3:41 AM	1:28 PM	🌘
Sep 7, Mon	6:58 AM	6:33 PM	11h 35m	4:34 AM	2:42 PM	🌘
Sep 8, Tue	6:57 AM	6:34 PM	11h 37m	5:18 AM	3:55 PM	🌘
Sep 9, Wed	6:55 AM	6:34 PM	11h 39m	5:55 AM	5:04 PM	🌑
Sep 10, Thu	6:54 AM	6:35 PM	11h 41m	6:27 AM	6:11 PM	🌑
Sep 11, Fri	6:53 AM	6:36 PM	11h 43m	6:55 AM	7:15 PM	🌑
Sep 12, Sat	6:51 AM	6:36 PM	11h 45m	7:22 AM	8:17 PM	🌑
Sep 13, Sun	6:50 AM	6:37 PM	11h 47m	7:49 AM	9:19 PM	🌒
Sep 14, Mon	6:48 AM	6:38 PM	11h 49m	8:17 AM	10:20 PM	🌒
Sep 15, Tue	6:47 AM	6:38 PM	11h 51m	8:48 AM	11:21 PM	🌒
Sep 16, Wed	6:46 AM	6:39 PM	11h 53m	9:23 AM	12:20 AM	🌒
Sep 17, Thu	6:44 AM	6:40 PM	11h 55m	10:02 AM	1:17 AM	🌓
Sep 18, Fri	6:43 AM	6:40 PM	11h 58m	10:49 AM	—	🌓
Sep 19, Sat	6:41 AM	6:41 PM	12h 0m	11:41 AM	2:09 AM	🌓
Sep 20, Sun	6:40 AM	6:42 PM	12h 2m	12:37 PM	2:57 AM	🌓
Sep 21, Mon	6:38 AM	6:42 PM	12h 4m	1:35 PM	3:37 AM	🌔
Sep 22, Tue	6:37 AM	6:43 PM	12h 6m	2:35 PM	4:12 AM	🌔
Sep 23, Wed	6:36 AM	6:44 PM	12h 8m	3:35 PM	4:44 AM	🌔
Sep 24, Thu	6:34 AM	6:44 PM	12h 10m	4:36 PM	5:11 AM	🌔
Sep 25, Fri	6:33 AM	6:45 PM	12h 12m	5:36 PM	5:38 AM	🌕
Sep 26, Sat	6:31 AM	6:46 PM	12h 14m	6:38 PM	6:05 AM	🌕
Sep 27, Sun	6:30 AM	6:46 PM	12h 16m	7:42 PM	6:33 AM	🌕
Sep 28, Mon	6:29 AM	6:47 PM	12h 18m	8:49 PM	7:03 AM	🌕
Sep 29, Tue	6:27 AM	6:48 PM	12h 21m	9:59 PM	7:37 AM	🌖
Sep 30, Wed	6:26 AM	6:48 PM	12h 23m	11:11 PM	8:17 AM	🌖

Sunrise & Sunset in Cape Town, South Africa

Sun Times

Moon

Monthly Summary — September 2026

Twilight Phases in Cape Town

Holidays in South Africa

Explore Cape Town

Frequently Asked Questions about Sunrise & Sunset in Cape Town

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