The sun, month by month
Sunrise and sunset in Helsinki in January
On January 1 in Helsinki the sun rises at 09:24 and sets at 15:23; on day 31 it rises at 08:41 and sets at 16:26. Over the month the day grows 106 minutes longer.
In Helsinki (60.2° latitude), January 2026 has 31 days whose sun rises at 09:24 and sets at 15:23 on the 1st, and at 08:41 and 16:26 on the 31th. Mid-month the day lasts 6 h 37 min and the sun reaches 9° above the horizon. Even so, the UV index never reaches 3 at any point in the month: at this latitude and time of year, the ozone layer absorbs UVB before enough of it reaches the ground. So in January there is no vitamin D synthesis in Helsinki at any hour of the day, however long you stay out.
Where does the sun rise and set in Helsinki in January?
Mid-January in Helsinki: the sun rises in the southeast — a bearing of 135°, measured from true north — and sets in the southwest, at 225°. That is 45° south of due east at sunrise, and the same 45° south of due west at sunset. From the 1st to the last day of the month both points shift 13° 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 Helsinki. Dawn and dusk mark civil twilight.
| Day | Dawn | Sunrise | Sunset | Dusk | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 08:27 | 09:24 | 15:23 | 16:21 | 5 h 59 min |
| 2 | 08:27 | 09:24 | 15:25 | 16:22 | 6 h 01 min |
| 3 | 08:26 | 09:23 | 15:26 | 16:23 | 6 h 03 min |
| 4 | 08:26 | 09:23 | 15:28 | 16:24 | 6 h 05 min |
| 5 | 08:26 | 09:22 | 15:29 | 16:26 | 6 h 07 min |
| 6 | 08:25 | 09:21 | 15:31 | 16:27 | 6 h 10 min |
| 7 | 08:24 | 09:20 | 15:33 | 16:29 | 6 h 12 min |
| 8 | 08:24 | 09:19 | 15:34 | 16:30 | 6 h 15 min |
| 9 | 08:23 | 09:18 | 15:36 | 16:32 | 6 h 18 min |
| 10 | 08:22 | 09:17 | 15:38 | 16:33 | 6 h 21 min |
| 11 | 08:21 | 09:16 | 15:40 | 16:35 | 6 h 24 min |
| 12 | 08:20 | 09:15 | 15:42 | 16:37 | 6 h 27 min |
| 13 | 08:19 | 09:14 | 15:44 | 16:38 | 6 h 30 min |
| 14 | 08:18 | 09:12 | 15:46 | 16:40 | 6 h 34 min |
| 15 | 08:17 | 09:11 | 15:48 | 16:42 | 6 h 37 min |
| 16 | 08:16 | 09:09 | 15:50 | 16:44 | 6 h 41 min |
| 17 | 08:15 | 09:08 | 15:53 | 16:46 | 6 h 45 min |
| 18 | 08:14 | 09:06 | 15:55 | 16:47 | 6 h 48 min |
| 19 | 08:12 | 09:05 | 15:57 | 16:49 | 6 h 52 min |
| 20 | 08:11 | 09:03 | 15:59 | 16:51 | 6 h 56 min |
| 21 | 08:10 | 09:01 | 16:02 | 16:53 | 7 h 00 min |
| 22 | 08:08 | 09:00 | 16:04 | 16:55 | 7 h 05 min |
| 23 | 08:07 | 08:58 | 16:06 | 16:57 | 7 h 09 min |
| 24 | 08:05 | 08:56 | 16:09 | 16:59 | 7 h 13 min |
| 25 | 08:04 | 08:54 | 16:11 | 17:02 | 7 h 17 min |
| 26 | 08:02 | 08:52 | 16:14 | 17:04 | 7 h 22 min |
| 27 | 08:00 | 08:50 | 16:16 | 17:06 | 7 h 26 min |
| 28 | 07:58 | 08:48 | 16:19 | 17:08 | 7 h 31 min |
| 29 | 07:57 | 08:46 | 16:21 | 17:10 | 7 h 35 min |
| 30 | 07:55 | 08:44 | 16:24 | 17:12 | 7 h 40 min |
| 31 | 07:53 | 08:41 | 16:26 | 17:15 | 7 h 45 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 Helsinki for vitamin D synthesis: the season to mind your diet or consider supplementation.
See the Helsinki vitamin D guideCommon questions about the sun in Helsinki in January
- Where does the sun set in Helsinki in January?
- Mid-January in Helsinki: the sun sets in the southwest, a bearing of 225° measured from true north, which is 45° south of due west. It rises in the southeast, at 135°. Over the month both points shift 13° north.
- How much daylight does Helsinki gain in January?
- Over January the day gets 106 minutes longer in Helsinki: on January 1 the sun rises at 09:24 and sets at 15:23, and on day 31 it rises at 08:41 and sets at 16:26.
- How many hours of daylight does Helsinki get in January?
- In mid-January the day lasts 6 h 37 min in Helsinki, from sunrise at 09:11 to sunset at 15:48. The table has the day length for each of the 31 days of the month.
- What time does it start to get light in Helsinki in January?
- In mid-January the sky starts to get light at 08:17 in Helsinki, when the sun is 6° below the horizon, and the sun itself does not rise until 09:11. The “Dawn” column of the table gives that time for every day of the month.
- What time does it get dark in Helsinki in January?
- It's not the same time as sunset. In mid-January in Helsinki the sun sets at 15:48, but there is still light: civil twilight does not end until 16:42, 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 Helsinki in January?
- At no time of day. Not even at midday on January 15 does the UV index reach 3 in Helsinki, 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.