Sun path · London
Sunrise & sunset direction in London
See which way the sun rises and sets in London, with the full arc showing elevation against compass direction. Dashed curves show the June solstice, equinox and December solstice for comparison.
Drag the timeline to see where the sun will be in the sky.
Sun path in London on Thu, Sep 24
The sun rises at 90°, E and sets at 270°, W in London, reaching a peak elevation of 38° at solar noon. Day length is 12h 5m, measured from sunrise to sunset.
The chart above plots the full arc of the sun across the sky. The horizontal axis is compass direction, the vertical axis is elevation. Dashed reference curves show the June solstice, equinox and December solstice so you can see how the arc shifts through the year.
Use the scrubber to walk through the day and read the sun's compass bearing and elevation at any moment. For photography, check which direction light will come from at your planned shoot time and whether your subject will be front-lit, side-lit or backlit.
Sunrise and sunset direction in London
Bearings are measured clockwise from north and calculated from the sun path for this location.
| Date | Sun rises | Sun sets |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 90°, E | 270°, W |
| June solstice | 49°, NE | 311°, NW |
| Equinox | 89°, E | 271°, W |
| December solstice | 128°, SE | 232°, SW |
Shooting the light in London
At 51.5°N, London has one of the widest daylight swings of any major city outside the polar fringe: almost seventeen hours in late June, under eight in late December. Winter compensates photographers for the short days - the sun barely reaches 15° at midwinter noon, so the low, raking quality of golden hour stretches across much of the afternoon.
The default sky is overcast, which is its own tool: an enormous softbox for portraits, markets and architecture detail. When a clear evening does arrive, the Thames gives the city its sightlines - most of the classic views work along or across the river.
Where photographers go
Primrose Hill
The skyline panorama from the northwest; in winter the sun rises far enough south to light the view for much of the morning.
Waterloo Bridge
Stand mid-river: Westminster and the London Eye to the west for sunset, the City cluster to the east for dawn.
South Bank
Blue hour is the moment - riverside lamps, lit bridges and enough ambient sky to hold detail.
Greenwich Park
From the Royal Observatory hill, evening light falls across Canary Wharf and the river bend.
Frequently asked
- Which way does the sun rise in London?
- On Thu, Sep 24, the sun rises in London at 90°, E (east).
- Which direction does the sun set in London in December?
- At the December solstice, the sun sets in London at 232°, SW (southwest).
- How high does the sun get in London?
- On Thu, Sep 24, the sun reaches about 38° above the horizon at its highest point in London.
