Sunrise today in London is at 05:20 (5:20am), with sunset at 20:53 (8:53pm), giving 15 hours and 33 minutes of daylight, according to astronomical data for Wednesday 29 July 2026. The exact time shifts by a couple of minutes depending on where in the UK you are, since sunrise happens earlier the further east and, at this time of year, the further north you go.
This isn’t a fixed number you can bookmark. Sunrise moves by a minute or two every single day as the Earth’s tilt changes our angle to the sun, which is exactly why “sunrise today” searches spike daily rather than settling on one answer. Below you’ll find today’s exact time for London and 11 other major UK cities, how the time is worked out, and answers to the questions people ask most.
Sunrise Today by UK City
Sunrise doesn’t happen at the same moment across the country. Scotland and the north catch the sun earlier than southern England in summer, while the reverse is roughly true in winter, because of how far each place sits from true north-south and how the sun’s path shifts with the seasons.
Here’s sunrise today, Wednesday 29 July 2026, for major UK cities, based on astronomical calculations from sunrise.am:
- London: 05:20
- Birmingham: 05:23
- Manchester: 05:20
- Liverpool: 05:23
- Glasgow: 05:16
- Edinburgh: 05:11
- Leeds: 05:15
- Sheffield: 05:17
- Bristol: 05:30
- Cardiff: 05:32
- Belfast: 05:29
- Newcastle upon Tyne: 05:10
Newcastle and Edinburgh see the sun first this morning, while Cardiff and Bristol are among the last, a gap of roughly 20 minutes across the country on a single date. These figures are for your location’s exact coordinates, so if you’re in a smaller town, expect a difference of a minute or two either way from your nearest listed city.
Today’s Full Sun Data for London
For anyone wanting the fuller picture rather than just the headline time, here’s today’s complete sun data for London:
- Sunrise: 05:20 (rising at roughly 58° on the horizon, to the east-north-east)
- Sunset: 20:53
- Day length: 15 hours 33 minutes
- Solar noon (when the sun is at its highest point): around 13:07
- Civil twilight (usable natural light before sunrise/after sunset) begins around 04:37 and ends around 21:34
Civil twilight is worth knowing about if you’re heading out early: it’s the period when there’s enough natural light to see clearly outdoors even though the sun hasn’t technically risen yet. Cyclists, dog walkers and early commuters are often out and about well before the official sunrise time for exactly this reason.
How Is Sunrise Time Actually Calculated?
Sunrise is defined as the moment the upper edge of the sun’s disc appears above the horizon, calculated using your exact latitude, longitude and the date. Astronomers factor in atmospheric refraction too, which is the way our atmosphere bends light slightly and makes the sun visible a touch earlier than it would be in a vacuum.
This is why sunrise calculators need a precise location rather than just a country or region. Two towns 50 miles apart can have sunrise times a couple of minutes apart, and that gap grows the further apart, or the further north, the two places are.
Why Sunrise Time Changes Every Day
The UK’s sunrise time shifts daily because the Earth’s axis is tilted at roughly 23.4 degrees relative to its orbit around the sun. As the Earth moves along that orbit, the angle at which sunlight hits any given point on the surface changes gradually, which is also what causes the seasons.
Right now, days are shortening. The summer solstice, the longest day of the year, fell on 21 June 2026, and since then sunrise has been getting later and sunset earlier by a couple of minutes a day. By the winter solstice on 21 December 2026, London will see roughly 7 hours 48 minutes of daylight compared with today’s 15 hours 33 minutes.
The Effect of the Clock Change
British Summer Time (BST) also plays a part in the number you see. The UK moved clocks forward an hour at 1am on Sunday 29 March 2026, and according to GOV.UK, they’ll go back an hour at 2am on Sunday 25 October 2026. That autumn change instantly shifts sunrise about an hour earlier on the clock, even though nothing changes astronomically, so don’t be surprised when the numbers jump in late October.
Golden Hour and Blue Hour Today
If you’re after the best light for photography, the golden hour (the warm, soft light shortly after sunrise and before sunset) runs for roughly an hour either side of both sunrise and sunset today. The blue hour, the cooler, dimmer light just before sunrise and after sunset, is shorter, typically 15 to 20 minutes.
Photographers chasing sunrise shots in the UK generally aim to arrive 20 to 30 minutes before the listed time, since the sky often puts on its best colours before the sun itself clears the horizon.
Practical Reasons People Check Sunrise Today
- Early starts: runners, cyclists and dog walkers use sunrise time to judge how early they can head out with enough natural light.
- Photography: golden hour either side of sunrise is prized for scenic and portrait shots.
- Solar panels: households with solar panels sometimes track sunrise to understand when generation starts each day.
- Religious observance: some faiths, including Islam, tie prayer times directly to sunrise and sunset, so exact local times matter.
- Farming and gardening: those working outdoors plan around first light, particularly during harvest season.
FAQS
What time does the sun rise today in the UK?
Sunrise today, Wednesday 29 July 2026, is at 05:20 in London, with times ranging from around 05:10 in Newcastle to 05:32 in Cardiff depending on your exact location. Scotland and northern England see the sun slightly earlier than the south of England at this time of year.
What time is sunset today?
Sunset today in London is at 20:53 (8:53pm), giving a day length of 15 hours 33 minutes. Exact sunset times vary by a few minutes across the UK depending on your longitude and latitude.
Why is sunrise different in different UK cities?
Sunrise time depends on a location’s exact latitude and longitude, so cities further east see the sun slightly earlier, and how far north or south you are also matters depending on the season. A journey from Newcastle to Cardiff, for example, can mean a difference of around 20 minutes in sunrise time on the same date.
Does the sunrise time change every day?
Yes, sunrise shifts by roughly one to three minutes a day depending on the time of year, caused by the tilt of the Earth’s axis as it orbits the sun. The rate of change is fastest around the spring and autumn equinoxes and slowest around the solstices in June and December.
What is civil twilight and how is it different from sunrise?
Civil twilight is the period of natural light before sunrise and after sunset when it’s still bright enough to see clearly outdoors without artificial light. It typically starts around 30 to 45 minutes before the official sunrise time in the UK, depending on the season.
When is the earliest sunrise of the year in the UK?
The earliest sunrise in London falls around 16 June each year, at approximately 04:40, a few days before the longest day itself on 21 June. This is a quirk of how solar time and clock time drift slightly apart around the solstice.
How does the clock change affect sunrise time?
When British Summer Time ends on the last Sunday of October, clocks go back an hour, which makes sunrise appear an hour earlier by the clock even though nothing has changed astronomically. In 2026 that happens on Sunday 25 October, when GOV.UK confirms the clocks move back at 2am.
Is sunrise earlier in Scotland than England?
In summer, yes: Scottish cities like Edinburgh and Glasgow see the sun a few minutes before most English cities on the same date. In winter, the pattern shifts and southern England often sees sunrise slightly earlier, because Scotland’s higher latitude affects day length far more than it affects the exact rising time.
