The sun, month by month
Sunrise and sunset in Reykjavik in May
On May 1 in Reykjavik the sun rises at 05:02 and sets at 21:48; on day 31 it rises at 03:26 and sets at 23:25. Over the month the day grows 194 minutes longer.
Where does the sun rise and set in Reykjavik in May?
Mid-May in Reykjavik: the sun rises in the northeast — a bearing of 40°, measured from true north — and sets in the northwest, at 320°. That is 50° north of due east at sunrise, and the same 50° north of due west at sunset. From the 1st to the last day of the month both points shift 24° 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 | 03:53 | 05:02 | 21:48 | 22:56 | 16 h 46 min |
| 2 | 03:49 | 04:59 | 21:51 | 23:01 | 16 h 52 min |
| 3 | 03:44 | 04:55 | 21:54 | 23:06 | 16 h 59 min |
| 4 | 03:39 | 04:52 | 21:57 | 23:10 | 17 h 06 min |
| 5 | 03:34 | 04:48 | 22:01 | 23:15 | 17 h 13 min |
| 6 | 03:28 | 04:45 | 22:04 | 23:20 | 17 h 20 min |
| 7 | 03:23 | 04:41 | 22:07 | 23:26 | 17 h 26 min |
| 8 | 03:18 | 04:38 | 22:11 | 23:31 | 17 h 33 min |
| 9 | 03:12 | 04:34 | 22:14 | 23:36 | 17 h 40 min |
| 10 | 03:06 | 04:31 | 22:17 | 23:42 | 17 h 47 min |
| 11 | 03:00 | 04:27 | 22:21 | 23:48 | 17 h 53 min |
| 12 | 02:54 | 04:24 | 22:24 | 23:54 | 18 h 00 min |
| 13 | 02:47 | 04:21 | 22:27 | 00:01 | 18 h 07 min |
| 14 | 02:40 | 04:17 | 22:31 | 00:08 | 18 h 13 min |
| 15 | 02:33 | 04:14 | 22:34 | 00:15 | 18 h 20 min |
| 16 | 02:25 | 04:11 | 22:37 | 00:23 | 18 h 27 min |
| 17 | 02:15 | 04:07 | 22:41 | 00:33 | 18 h 33 min |
| 18 | 02:04 | 04:04 | 22:44 | 00:44 | 18 h 40 min |
| 19 | 01:50 | 04:01 | 22:47 | 00:59 | 18 h 46 min |
| 20 | — | 03:58 | 22:50 | — | 18 h 53 min |
| 21 | — | 03:55 | 22:54 | — | 18 h 59 min |
| 22 | — | 03:52 | 22:57 | — | 19 h 05 min |
| 23 | — | 03:49 | 23:00 | — | 19 h 12 min |
| 24 | — | 03:46 | 23:03 | — | 19 h 18 min |
| 25 | — | 03:43 | 23:07 | — | 19 h 24 min |
| 26 | — | 03:40 | 23:10 | — | 19 h 30 min |
| 27 | — | 03:37 | 23:13 | — | 19 h 36 min |
| 28 | — | 03:34 | 23:16 | — | 19 h 42 min |
| 29 | — | 03:31 | 23:19 | — | 19 h 48 min |
| 30 | — | 03:28 | 23:22 | — | 19 h 54 min |
| 31 | — | 03:26 | 23:25 | — | 19 h 59 min |
Approximate astronomical values: they can shift a minute or two from year to year.
What about vitamin D in May?
In May, the typical synthesis window in Reykjavik runs from 12:00 to 16:00: with medium skin and a t-shirt, ~15 min at the best moment is enough.
See the Reykjavik vitamin D guideCommon questions about the sun in Reykjavik in May
- Where does the sun set in Reykjavik in May?
- Mid-May in Reykjavik: the sun sets in the northwest, a bearing of 320° measured from true north, which is 50° north of due west. It rises in the northeast, at 40°. Over the month both points shift 24° north.
- How much daylight does Reykjavik gain in May?
- Over May the day gets 194 minutes longer in Reykjavik: on May 1 the sun rises at 05:02 and sets at 21:48, and on day 31 it rises at 03:26 and sets at 23:25.
- How many hours of daylight does Reykjavik get in May?
- In mid-May the day lasts 18 h 20 min in Reykjavik, from sunrise at 04:14 to sunset at 22:34. 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 May?
- In mid-May the sky starts to get light at 02:33 in Reykjavik, when the sun is 6° below the horizon, and the sun itself does not rise until 04:14. The “Dawn” column of the table gives that time for every day of the month.
- What time does it get dark in Reykjavik in May?
- It's not the same time as sunset. In mid-May in Reykjavik the sun sets at 22:34, but there is still light: civil twilight does not end until 00:15, 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 May?
- In mid-May, between 12:00 and 16:00: that is the stretch of the day when the UV index reaches 3 in Reykjavik, the minimum for the skin to make vitamin D. At the best moment of the day about 15 minutes are enough for a mid-range skin phototype with a quarter of the body exposed to make around 1000 IU.