Sunrise and sunset times in Queenstown, 2026
In Queenstown, New Zealand (45.0312° S, 168.6626° E), the longest day of 2026 is 22 December: the sun rises at 05:54 and sets at 21:32, giving 15h 38m of daylight. The shortest is 21 June, with 8h 46m of daylight. Local time, Pacific/Auckland time zone.
Today · Queenstown
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2026 solstices and equinoxes in Queenstown
| Event | Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | Noon altitude | Sunrise direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 21 March | 07:48 | 19:56 | 12h 08m | 44.8° | 91° (east) |
| June solstice | 21 June | 08:24 | 17:09 | 8h 46m | 21.6° | 57° (east-northeast) |
| September equinox | 23 September | 06:33 | 18:42 | 12h 09m | 45.0° | 91° (east) |
| December solstice | 22 December | 05:54 | 21:32 | 15h 38m | 68.4° | 125° (southeast) |
Sun times in Queenstown, month by month
Twice a month: on the 1st and at mid-month. Dawn and dusk here mean civil dawn and dusk (sun 6° below the horizon). Click a date to open it in 3D.
| Date | Dawn | Sunrise | Solar noon | Max. altitude | Sunset | Dusk | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | 05:24 | 06:02 | 13:48 | 68.0° | 21:35 | 22:12 | 15h 33m |
| 15 January | 05:41 | 06:17 | 13:54 | 66.1° | 21:31 | 22:06 | 15h 14m |
| 1 February | 06:07 | 06:41 | 13:58 | 62.1° | 21:15 | 21:48 | 14h 34m |
| 15 February | 06:30 | 07:01 | 13:59 | 57.7° | 20:56 | 21:27 | 13h 55m |
| 1 March | 06:51 | 07:21 | 13:57 | 52.6° | 20:32 | 21:03 | 13h 11m |
| 15 March | 07:11 | 07:40 | 13:54 | 47.2° | 20:07 | 20:36 | 12h 27m |
| 1 April | 07:32 | 08:02 | 13:49 | 40.5° | 19:35 | 20:04 | 11h 33m |
| 15 April | 06:50 | 07:19 | 12:45 | 35.3° | 18:10 | 18:40 | 10h 51m |
| 1 May | 07:08 | 07:39 | 12:42 | 30.0° | 17:44 | 18:15 | 10h 05m |
| 15 May | 07:24 | 07:56 | 12:41 | 26.2° | 17:26 | 17:58 | 9h 31m |
| 1 June | 07:39 | 08:13 | 12:43 | 23.0° | 17:12 | 17:46 | 9h 00m |
| 15 June | 07:48 | 08:22 | 12:45 | 21.7° | 17:09 | 17:43 | 8h 47m |
| 1 July | 07:51 | 08:24 | 12:49 | 21.9° | 17:13 | 17:47 | 8h 49m |
| 15 July | 07:46 | 08:19 | 12:51 | 23.5° | 17:23 | 17:56 | 9h 05m |
| 1 August | 07:31 | 08:02 | 12:51 | 27.0° | 17:41 | 18:12 | 9h 38m |
| 15 August | 07:13 | 07:43 | 12:49 | 30.9° | 17:56 | 18:27 | 10h 13m |
| 1 September | 06:45 | 07:14 | 12:45 | 36.7° | 18:16 | 18:46 | 11h 02m |
| 15 September | 06:19 | 06:48 | 12:40 | 41.9° | 18:33 | 19:02 | 11h 44m |
| 1 October | 06:48 | 07:18 | 13:35 | 48.1° | 19:52 | 20:22 | 12h 34m |
| 15 October | 06:22 | 06:52 | 13:31 | 53.4° | 20:10 | 20:41 | 13h 18m |
| 1 November | 05:52 | 06:24 | 13:28 | 59.3° | 20:33 | 21:06 | 14h 09m |
| 15 November | 05:33 | 06:06 | 13:29 | 63.4° | 20:53 | 21:27 | 14h 47m |
| 1 December | 05:18 | 05:54 | 13:34 | 66.7° | 21:14 | 21:50 | 15h 20m |
| 15 December | 05:15 | 05:52 | 13:40 | 68.2° | 21:28 | 22:05 | 15h 36m |
Terrain around Queenstown
The terrain around Queenstown rises up to 21.2° above the horizon (towards the west-northwest). On 21 June, the sun appears at 10:34 instead of 08:24 and disappears at 15:04 instead of 17:09: 4h 15m less sunshine than with a clear horizon.
| Date | Theoretical sunrise | Actual sunrise | Theoretical sunset | Actual sunset | Direct sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 January | 06:25 | 07:24 | 21:26 | 20:49 | 13h 26m |
| 21 February | 07:10 | 07:55 | 20:46 | 19:36 | 11h 42m |
| 21 March | 07:48 | 08:40 | 19:56 | 18:11 | 9h 31m |
| 21 April | 07:27 | 09:13 | 18:00 | 15:46 | 6h 34m |
| 21 May | 08:02 | 10:11 | 17:20 | 15:15 | 5h 05m |
| 21 June | 08:24 | 10:34 | 17:09 | 15:04 | 4h 31m |
| 21 July | 08:14 | 10:22 | 17:29 | 15:23 | 5h 02m |
| 21 August | 07:33 | 09:20 | 18:03 | 15:49 | 6h 30m |
| 21 September | 06:37 | 07:36 | 18:40 | 16:47 | 9h 12m |
| 21 October | 06:42 | 07:28 | 20:18 | 19:08 | 11h 41m |
| 21 November | 06:01 | 06:59 | 21:01 | 20:24 | 13h 26m |
| 21 December | 05:54 | 06:50 | 21:31 | 21:17 | 14h 28m |
Terrain computed up to 30 km away from an elevation model with a resolution of about 100 m; buildings and trees are not included.
Frequently asked questions
What time is sunrise in Queenstown?
In 2026, the sun rises in Queenstown between 05:52 (on 11 December) and 08:25 (on 27 June), local time (Pacific/Auckland). At the June solstice, sunrise is at 08:24; at the December solstice, it is at 05:54.
What time is sunset in Queenstown?
In 2026, sunset in Queenstown ranges from 17:09 (on 15 June) to 21:35 (on 1 January), local time.
What is the longest day of the year in Queenstown?
It is 22 December 2026, with 15h 38m between sunrise (05:54) and sunset (21:32). The shortest day is 21 June, with 8h 46m (sunrise 08:24, sunset 17:09).
How high does the sun get in Queenstown?
At solar noon, the sun reaches 68.4° at its highest point of the year (on 22 December) and 21.6° at its lowest (on 21 June).
In which direction does the sun rise in Queenstown?
Almost due east at the equinoxes (azimuth 91°). At the June solstice, it rises in the east-northeast (azimuth 57°) and sets in the west-northwest (303°); at the December solstice, it rises in the southeast (125°) and sets in the southwest (235°).
Do the times account for daylight saving time?
Yes. All times are given in the Pacific/Auckland time zone, including the switch to and from daylight saving time.
Method
Sun position computed with the SunCalc algorithm (J. Meeus’s formulas), accurate to about one minute for sunrise and sunset times. Sunrise and sunset refer to the upper edge of the sun on a clear, sea-level horizon, including atmospheric refraction: hills or buildings hide the sun earlier. The 3D map also computes the actual sunrise behind the terrain. More about the method.