The sun, month by month
Sunrise and sunset in Reykjavik in January
On January 1 in Reykjavik the sun rises at 11:20 and sets at 15:43; on day 31 it rises at 10:17 and sets at 17:06. Over the month the day grows 147 minutes longer.
Where does the sun rise and set in Reykjavik in January?
Mid-January in Reykjavik: the sun rises in the southeast — a bearing of 143°, measured from true north — and sets in the southwest, at 217°. That is 53° south of due east at sunrise, and the same 53° south of due west at sunset. From the 1st to the last day of the month both points shift 18° north.
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 | 10:03 | 11:20 | 15:43 | 16:59 | 4 h 23 min |
| 2 | 10:03 | 11:19 | 15:45 | 17:01 | 4 h 26 min |
| 3 | 10:02 | 11:18 | 15:47 | 17:02 | 4 h 29 min |
| 4 | 10:02 | 11:17 | 15:49 | 17:04 | 4 h 32 min |
| 5 | 10:01 | 11:15 | 15:51 | 17:05 | 4 h 36 min |
| 6 | 10:00 | 11:14 | 15:53 | 17:07 | 4 h 39 min |
| 7 | 09:59 | 11:12 | 15:56 | 17:09 | 4 h 43 min |
| 8 | 09:58 | 11:11 | 15:58 | 17:11 | 4 h 47 min |
| 9 | 09:57 | 11:09 | 16:00 | 17:13 | 4 h 51 min |
| 10 | 09:56 | 11:07 | 16:03 | 17:14 | 4 h 56 min |
| 11 | 09:55 | 11:06 | 16:06 | 17:16 | 5 h 00 min |
| 12 | 09:54 | 11:04 | 16:08 | 17:18 | 5 h 05 min |
| 13 | 09:52 | 11:02 | 16:11 | 17:20 | 5 h 09 min |
| 14 | 09:51 | 11:00 | 16:14 | 17:23 | 5 h 14 min |
| 15 | 09:49 | 10:58 | 16:17 | 17:25 | 5 h 19 min |
| 16 | 09:48 | 10:55 | 16:20 | 17:27 | 5 h 24 min |
| 17 | 09:46 | 10:53 | 16:22 | 17:29 | 5 h 29 min |
| 18 | 09:45 | 10:51 | 16:25 | 17:32 | 5 h 35 min |
| 19 | 09:43 | 10:48 | 16:28 | 17:34 | 5 h 40 min |
| 20 | 09:41 | 10:46 | 16:31 | 17:36 | 5 h 45 min |
| 21 | 09:39 | 10:44 | 16:34 | 17:39 | 5 h 51 min |
| 22 | 09:37 | 10:41 | 16:38 | 17:41 | 5 h 56 min |
| 23 | 09:35 | 10:38 | 16:41 | 17:44 | 6 h 02 min |
| 24 | 09:33 | 10:36 | 16:44 | 17:46 | 6 h 08 min |
| 25 | 09:31 | 10:33 | 16:47 | 17:49 | 6 h 14 min |
| 26 | 09:29 | 10:31 | 16:50 | 17:51 | 6 h 20 min |
| 27 | 09:27 | 10:28 | 16:53 | 17:54 | 6 h 25 min |
| 28 | 09:25 | 10:25 | 16:56 | 17:56 | 6 h 31 min |
| 29 | 09:23 | 10:22 | 17:00 | 17:59 | 6 h 37 min |
| 30 | 09:20 | 10:19 | 17:03 | 18:02 | 6 h 43 min |
| 31 | 09:18 | 10:17 | 17:06 | 18:04 | 6 h 50 min |
Approximate astronomical values: they can shift a minute or two from year to year.
What about vitamin D in January?
In January 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 January
- Where does the sun set in Reykjavik in January?
- Mid-January in Reykjavik: the sun sets in the southwest, a bearing of 217° measured from true north, which is 53° south of due west. It rises in the southeast, at 143°. Over the month both points shift 18° north.
- How much daylight does Reykjavik gain in January?
- Over January the day gets 147 minutes longer in Reykjavik: on January 1 the sun rises at 11:20 and sets at 15:43, and on day 31 it rises at 10:17 and sets at 17:06.
- How many hours of daylight does Reykjavik get in January?
- In mid-January the day lasts 5 h 19 min in Reykjavik, from sunrise at 10:58 to sunset at 16:17. 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 January?
- In mid-January the sky starts to get light at 09:49 in Reykjavik, when the sun is 6° below the horizon, and the sun itself does not rise until 10:58. The “Dawn” column of the table gives that time for every day of the month.
- What time does it get dark in Reykjavik in January?
- It's not the same time as sunset. In mid-January in Reykjavik the sun sets at 16:17, but there is still light: civil twilight does not end until 17:25, 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 January?
- At no time of day. Not even at midday on January 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 January it is the season to mind your diet or consider supplementation.