Question 1

How many hours of daylight does Cape Town get today?

Accepted Answer

Cape Town currently gets approximately 10 hours and 17 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	6:18:20 AM
Nautical Dawn	6:48:09 AM
Civil Dawn	7:18:31 AM
Sunrise	7:45:18 AM
Golden Hour End	8:21:57 AM
Solar Noon	12:53:57 PM
Golden Hour Start	5:25:57 PM
Sunset	6:02:36 PM
Civil Dusk	6:29:23 PM
Nautical Dusk	6:59:46 PM
Astronomical Dusk	7:29:34 PM
Day Length	10h 17m

Moonrise	2:11:19 PM
Moonset	4:38:49 AM
Moon Phase	🌔 Waxing Gibbous
Illumination	84%

Date	Sunrise	Sunset	Day Length	Moonrise	Moonset	Phase
Jul 1, Wed	7:53 AM	5:49 PM	9h 56m	7:04 PM	9:05 AM	🌕
Jul 2, Thu	7:53 AM	5:49 PM	9h 56m	8:05 PM	9:40 AM	🌖
Jul 3, Fri	7:53 AM	5:49 PM	9h 57m	9:06 PM	10:12 AM	🌖
Jul 4, Sat	7:53 AM	5:50 PM	9h 57m	10:08 PM	10:41 AM	🌖
Jul 5, Sun	7:53 AM	5:50 PM	9h 58m	11:10 PM	11:08 AM	🌖
Jul 6, Mon	7:52 AM	5:51 PM	9h 58m	12:14 AM	11:35 AM	🌗
Jul 7, Tue	7:52 AM	5:51 PM	9h 59m	1:20 AM	12:04 PM	🌗
Jul 8, Wed	7:52 AM	5:52 PM	10h 0m	—	12:34 PM	🌗
Jul 9, Thu	7:52 AM	5:52 PM	10h 0m	2:29 AM	1:10 PM	🌘
Jul 10, Fri	7:52 AM	5:53 PM	10h 1m	3:41 AM	1:53 PM	🌘
Jul 11, Sat	7:51 AM	5:53 PM	10h 2m	4:53 AM	2:44 PM	🌘
Jul 12, Sun	7:51 AM	5:54 PM	10h 3m	6:03 AM	3:44 PM	🌘
Jul 13, Mon	7:51 AM	5:54 PM	10h 4m	7:07 AM	4:53 PM	🌑
Jul 14, Tue	7:50 AM	5:55 PM	10h 5m	8:02 AM	6:05 PM	🌑
Jul 15, Wed	7:50 AM	5:56 PM	10h 6m	8:48 AM	7:17 PM	🌑
Jul 16, Thu	7:50 AM	5:56 PM	10h 7m	9:26 AM	8:27 PM	🌒
Jul 17, Fri	7:49 AM	5:57 PM	10h 8m	9:57 AM	9:33 PM	🌒
Jul 18, Sat	7:49 AM	5:57 PM	10h 9m	10:27 AM	10:38 PM	🌒
Jul 19, Sun	7:48 AM	5:58 PM	10h 10m	10:53 AM	11:39 PM	🌒
Jul 20, Mon	7:48 AM	5:59 PM	10h 11m	11:19 AM	12:40 AM	🌓
Jul 21, Tue	7:47 AM	5:59 PM	10h 12m	11:47 AM	1:41 AM	🌓
Jul 22, Wed	7:47 AM	6:00 PM	10h 13m	12:16 PM	—	🌓
Jul 23, Thu	7:46 AM	6:01 PM	10h 15m	12:49 PM	2:41 AM	🌓
Jul 24, Fri	7:45 AM	6:01 PM	10h 16m	1:27 PM	3:41 AM	🌔
Jul 25, Sat	7:45 AM	6:02 PM	10h 17m	2:11 PM	4:38 AM	🌔
Jul 26, Sun	7:44 AM	6:03 PM	10h 19m	3:00 PM	5:32 AM	🌔
Jul 27, Mon	7:43 AM	6:03 PM	10h 20m	3:56 PM	6:20 AM	🌔
Jul 28, Tue	7:43 AM	6:04 PM	10h 21m	4:54 PM	7:03 AM	🌕
Jul 29, Wed	7:42 AM	6:05 PM	10h 23m	5:55 PM	7:40 AM	🌕
Jul 30, Thu	7:41 AM	6:06 PM	10h 24m	6:55 PM	8:12 AM	🌕
Jul 31, Fri	7:41 AM	6:06 PM	10h 26m	7:56 PM	8:42 AM	🌕

Sunrise & Sunset in Cape Town, South Africa

Sun Times

Moon

Monthly Summary — July 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