The sun, month by month
Sunrise and sunset in Reykjavik in December
On December 1 in Reykjavik the sun rises at 10:51 and sets at 15:44; on day 31 it rises at 11:21 and sets at 15:41. Over the month the day gets 33 minutes shorter.
Where does the sun rise and set in Reykjavik in December?
Mid-December in Reykjavik: the sun rises in the southeast — a bearing of 151°, measured from true north — and sets in the southwest, at 209°. That is 61° south of due east at sunrise, and the same 61° south of due west at sunset. From the 1st to the last day of the month both points shift 4° south.
Approximate bearings: they can be a couple of degrees out. They are measured from true north, not the north a phone compass points to.
Day by day
All times are local to Reykjavik. Dawn and dusk mark civil twilight.
| Day | Dawn | Sunrise | Sunset | Dusk | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 09:39 | 10:51 | 15:44 | 16:56 | 4 h 53 min |
| 2 | 09:41 | 10:53 | 15:43 | 16:55 | 4 h 49 min |
| 3 | 09:43 | 10:56 | 15:41 | 16:54 | 4 h 45 min |
| 4 | 09:45 | 10:58 | 15:39 | 16:53 | 4 h 41 min |
| 5 | 09:46 | 11:00 | 15:38 | 16:52 | 4 h 37 min |
| 6 | 09:48 | 11:03 | 15:37 | 16:51 | 4 h 34 min |
| 7 | 09:50 | 11:05 | 15:35 | 16:51 | 4 h 30 min |
| 8 | 09:51 | 11:07 | 15:34 | 16:50 | 4 h 27 min |
| 9 | 09:52 | 11:09 | 15:33 | 16:49 | 4 h 24 min |
| 10 | 09:54 | 11:11 | 15:32 | 16:49 | 4 h 22 min |
| 11 | 09:55 | 11:12 | 15:31 | 16:48 | 4 h 19 min |
| 12 | 09:56 | 11:14 | 15:31 | 16:48 | 4 h 17 min |
| 13 | 09:57 | 11:15 | 15:30 | 16:48 | 4 h 15 min |
| 14 | 09:58 | 11:17 | 15:29 | 16:48 | 4 h 13 min |
| 15 | 09:59 | 11:18 | 15:29 | 16:48 | 4 h 11 min |
| 16 | 10:00 | 11:19 | 15:29 | 16:48 | 4 h 10 min |
| 17 | 10:01 | 11:20 | 15:29 | 16:48 | 4 h 09 min |
| 18 | 10:02 | 11:21 | 15:29 | 16:48 | 4 h 08 min |
| 19 | 10:03 | 11:22 | 15:29 | 16:48 | 4 h 07 min |
| 20 | 10:03 | 11:22 | 15:29 | 16:49 | 4 h 07 min |
| 21 | 10:04 | 11:23 | 15:30 | 16:49 | 4 h 07 min |
| 22 | 10:04 | 11:23 | 15:30 | 16:50 | 4 h 07 min |
| 23 | 10:04 | 11:24 | 15:31 | 16:50 | 4 h 07 min |
| 24 | 10:05 | 11:24 | 15:32 | 16:51 | 4 h 08 min |
| 25 | 10:05 | 11:24 | 15:33 | 16:52 | 4 h 09 min |
| 26 | 10:05 | 11:24 | 15:34 | 16:53 | 4 h 10 min |
| 27 | 10:05 | 11:23 | 15:35 | 16:54 | 4 h 12 min |
| 28 | 10:05 | 11:23 | 15:36 | 16:55 | 4 h 14 min |
| 29 | 10:05 | 11:22 | 15:38 | 16:56 | 4 h 16 min |
| 30 | 10:04 | 11:22 | 15:39 | 16:57 | 4 h 18 min |
| 31 | 10:04 | 11:21 | 15:41 | 16:58 | 4 h 20 min |
Approximate astronomical values: they can shift a minute or two from year to year.
What about vitamin D in December?
In December the sun doesn't climb high enough in Reykjavik for vitamin D synthesis: the season to mind your diet or consider supplementation.
See the Reykjavik vitamin D guideCommon questions about the sun in Reykjavik in December
- Where does the sun set in Reykjavik in December?
- Mid-December in Reykjavik: the sun sets in the southwest, a bearing of 209° measured from true north, which is 61° south of due west. It rises in the southeast, at 151°. Over the month both points shift 4° south.
- How much daylight does Reykjavik lose in December?
- Over December the day gets 33 minutes shorter in Reykjavik: on December 1 the sun rises at 10:51 and sets at 15:44, and on day 31 it rises at 11:21 and sets at 15:41.
- How many hours of daylight does Reykjavik get in December?
- In mid-December the day lasts 4 h 11 min in Reykjavik, from sunrise at 11:18 to sunset at 15:29. The table has the day length for each of the 31 days of the month.
- What time does it start to get light in Reykjavik in December?
- In mid-December the sky starts to get light at 09:59 in Reykjavik, when the sun is 6° below the horizon, and the sun itself does not rise until 11:18. The “Dawn” column of the table gives that time for every day of the month.
- What time does it get dark in Reykjavik in December?
- It's not the same time as sunset. In mid-December in Reykjavik the sun sets at 15:29, but there is still light: civil twilight does not end until 16:48, when the sun reaches 6° below the horizon and usable outdoor light runs out. The “Dusk” column of the table gives that time day by day.
- What time of day can you make vitamin D in Reykjavik in December?
- At no time of day. Not even at midday on December 15 does the UV index reach 3 in Reykjavik, and below that minimum the skin makes no vitamin D, however long you stay out. In December it is the season to mind your diet or consider supplementation.