Question 1

How many hours of daylight does Christchurch get today?

Accepted Answer

Christchurch currently gets approximately 11 hours and 24 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 43.5° latitude, Christchurch 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 Christchurch?

Accepted Answer

Sunrise times in Christchurch change throughout the year based on the Earth's axial tilt and the city's position at 43.5° 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 Christchurch?

Accepted Answer

Sunset times in Christchurch vary by season due to the Earth's orbital mechanics and the city's latitude of 43.5°. 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 Christchurch?

Accepted Answer

Christchurch at 43.5° 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 Christchurch?

Accepted Answer

Civil twilight in Christchurch 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 Christchurch 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 Christchurch.

Question 7

When is the longest day in Christchurch?

Accepted Answer

The longest day in Christchurch occurs around the summer solstice. For Christchurch in the Southern Hemisphere, the longest day is around December 21–22. On this date, Christchurch experiences its earliest sunrise and near-latest sunset of the year. At 43.5° 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 Christchurch?

Accepted Answer

Yes, when Christchurch transitions to daylight saving time, clock-based sunrise and sunset times shift by one hour. However, the actual amount of daylight doesn't change — DST simply moves an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening. This means sunrise appears one hour "later" on the clock during DST, and sunset appears one hour "later" as well. The transition typically causes a noticeable jump in the sunrise/sunset table around the spring and fall changeover dates. Check our DST change calendar for exact transition dates in Christchurch.

Astronomical Dawn	5:11:53 AM
Nautical Dawn	5:45:11 AM
Civil Dawn	6:18:19 AM
Sunrise	6:46:56 AM
Golden Hour End	7:25:19 AM
Solar Noon	12:28:55 PM
Golden Hour Start	5:32:30 PM
Sunset	6:10:53 PM
Civil Dusk	6:39:31 PM
Nautical Dusk	7:12:38 PM
Astronomical Dusk	7:45:56 PM
Day Length	11h 24m

Moonrise	5:44:44 AM
Moonset	2:41:02 PM
Moon Phase	🌘 Waning Crescent
Illumination	11%

Date	Sunrise	Sunset	Day Length	Moonrise	Moonset	Phase
Sep 1, Tue	6:59 AM	6:03 PM	11h 4m	10:39 PM	8:46 AM	🌖
Sep 2, Wed	6:57 AM	6:04 PM	11h 7m	11:56 PM	9:18 AM	🌖
Sep 3, Thu	6:55 AM	6:05 PM	11h 10m	1:15 AM	10:02 AM	🌗
Sep 4, Fri	6:54 AM	6:06 PM	11h 12m	2:31 AM	10:57 AM	🌗
Sep 5, Sat	6:52 AM	6:07 PM	11h 15m	3:37 AM	—	🌗
Sep 6, Sun	6:50 AM	6:08 PM	11h 18m	4:30 AM	12:04 PM	🌘
Sep 7, Mon	6:48 AM	6:09 PM	11h 21m	5:11 AM	1:20 PM	🌘
Sep 8, Tue	6:46 AM	6:10 PM	11h 24m	5:44 AM	2:41 PM	🌘
Sep 9, Wed	6:45 AM	6:11 PM	11h 27m	6:10 AM	4:00 PM	🌘
Sep 10, Thu	6:43 AM	6:13 PM	11h 30m	6:33 AM	5:15 PM	🌑
Sep 11, Fri	6:41 AM	6:14 PM	11h 33m	6:52 AM	6:28 PM	🌑
Sep 12, Sat	6:39 AM	6:15 PM	11h 36m	7:12 AM	7:39 PM	🌑
Sep 13, Sun	6:37 AM	6:16 PM	11h 38m	7:33 AM	8:49 PM	🌒
Sep 14, Mon	6:36 AM	6:17 PM	11h 41m	7:55 AM	9:58 PM	🌒
Sep 15, Tue	6:34 AM	6:18 PM	11h 44m	8:22 AM	11:06 PM	🌒
Sep 16, Wed	6:32 AM	6:19 PM	11h 47m	8:53 AM	12:11 AM	🌒
Sep 17, Thu	6:30 AM	6:20 PM	11h 50m	9:34 AM	1:14 AM	🌓
Sep 18, Fri	6:28 AM	6:21 PM	11h 53m	10:22 AM	2:10 AM	🌓
Sep 19, Sat	6:26 AM	6:22 PM	11h 56m	11:17 AM	2:59 AM	🌓
Sep 20, Sun	6:25 AM	6:24 PM	11h 59m	—	3:38 AM	🌓
Sep 21, Mon	6:23 AM	6:25 PM	12h 2m	12:20 PM	4:10 AM	🌔
Sep 22, Tue	6:21 AM	6:26 PM	12h 5m	1:25 PM	4:36 AM	🌔
Sep 23, Wed	6:19 AM	6:27 PM	12h 8m	2:32 PM	5:00 AM	🌔
Sep 24, Thu	6:17 AM	6:28 PM	12h 11m	3:39 PM	5:19 AM	🌔
Sep 25, Fri	6:15 AM	6:29 PM	12h 14m	4:47 PM	5:39 AM	🌕
Sep 26, Sat	6:13 AM	6:30 PM	12h 17m	5:55 PM	7:00 AM	🌕
Sep 27, Sun	7:12 AM	7:31 PM	12h 20m	5:55 PM	7:00 AM	🌕
Sep 28, Mon	7:10 AM	7:32 PM	12h 23m	8:06 PM	7:21 AM	🌕
Sep 29, Tue	7:08 AM	7:34 PM	12h 26m	9:20 PM	7:46 AM	🌖
Sep 30, Wed	7:06 AM	7:35 PM	12h 29m	10:36 PM	8:16 AM	🌖

Sunrise & Sunset in Christchurch, New Zealand

Sun Times

Moon

Monthly Summary — September 2026

Twilight Phases in Christchurch

Holidays in New Zealand

Explore Christchurch

Frequently Asked Questions about Sunrise & Sunset in Christchurch

Sunrise & Sunset in Other Cities