Summer is (almost) officially here. That’s because the summer solstice is just on the horizon – with the longest day of the year set to take place this weekend. On Sunday, June 21, the sun will set at 9:21pm (!). And that’s when summer will officially begin.
These late sunsets will continue at this time for just over a week, until the start of July. We’ll then continue to enjoy post-9pm sunsets until late July. The sun will subsequently continue to set after 8pm until August 27, when it will set at 7:57pm. The days will slowly start to get shorter from here, but we still have plenty of sunny evenings ahead of us.
Let’s not wish away the summer! For now, we’ve got months of sunshine (hopefully), warmer weather (fingers crossed), and summer vibes to enjoy. Altogether, this year, we Londoners will be able to enjoy 132 days where the sun will set after 8pm. There will also be 60 sunsets in 2026 that take place at or after 9pm.
The summer solstice
Each year, the summer solstice marks the official beginning of summer. This coincides with the longest day of the year, when the sun rises extremely early (before 5am!), and sets well after 9pm.
This occurs because the sun is at its northernmost point from the Earth’s equator, resulting in the longest period of daylight. And while it matches up with the longest day of the year, the summer solstice itself is not an entire day, but the specific moment when the sun reaches its northernmost point, in comparison to the equator.
This year, for example, June 21 is not the summer solstice. But the summer solstice occurs in London at 9:24 am on June 21.
The longest and shortest days of the year
There’s plenty to celebrate about the arrival of the longest day of sunshine of the year. But pessimists will point out that it also means, conversely, that we’re slowly starting the descent to the shortest day of sunshine in the UK.
That’s still a while away, though, with the winter solstice taking place at 8:50pm on Monday, December 21, 2026. In conjunction with the winter solstice, the sun will rise at 8:03am and set at 3:53pm. This will be the shortest day of the year, with just 7 hours and 49 minutes of sunshine.
This will mean a whopping 8 hours and 49 minutes less sunshine than the longest day of the year.
But for now, we’re slapping on our SPF, sliding on our shorts and sandals, and heading to the nearest park or lido to enjoy the sunshine!
