Sunrise and sunset in Boston in 2026
In 2026, the sun rises in Boston between 5:07 AM (June 14) and 7:16 AM (October 31), and sets between 4:11 PM (December 8) and 8:25 PM (June 26). The longest day is Sunday, June 21, with 15 h 17 min of daylight, and the shortest is Monday, December 21, with 9 h 5 min: a difference of 6 h 13 min.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | Solar noon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | 7:13 AM | 4:22 PM | 9 h 9 min | 11:48 AM |
| Jan 15 | 7:11 AM | 4:37 PM | 9 h 26 min | 11:54 AM |
| Feb 1 | 6:58 AM | 4:58 PM | 10 h 1 min | 11:58 AM |
| Feb 15 | 6:41 AM | 5:17 PM | 10 h 36 min | 11:58 AM |
| Mar 1 | 6:19 AM | 5:34 PM | 11 h 15 min | 11:57 AM |
| Mar 15 | 6:56 AM | 6:51 PM | 11 h 55 min | 12:53 PM |
| Apr 1 | 6:27 AM | 7:10 PM | 12 h 44 min | 12:48 PM |
| Apr 15 | 6:03 AM | 7:26 PM | 13 h 23 min | 12:44 PM |
| May 1 | 5:39 AM | 7:44 PM | 14 h 5 min | 12:41 PM |
| May 15 | 5:23 AM | 7:59 PM | 14 h 36 min | 12:41 PM |
| Jun 1 | 5:10 AM | 8:15 PM | 15 h 5 min | 12:42 PM |
| Jun 15 | 5:07 AM | 8:23 PM | 15 h 16 min | 12:45 PM |
| Jul 1 | 5:11 AM | 8:25 PM | 15 h 14 min | 12:48 PM |
| Jul 15 | 5:21 AM | 8:19 PM | 14 h 58 min | 12:50 PM |
| Aug 1 | 5:37 AM | 8:04 PM | 14 h 27 min | 12:51 PM |
| Aug 15 | 5:51 AM | 7:45 PM | 13 h 54 min | 12:49 PM |
| Sep 1 | 6:09 AM | 7:18 PM | 13 h 9 min | 12:44 PM |
| Sep 15 | 6:24 AM | 6:54 PM | 12 h 30 min | 12:39 PM |
| Oct 1 | 6:41 AM | 6:26 PM | 11 h 44 min | 12:34 PM |
| Oct 15 | 6:57 AM | 6:02 PM | 11 h 5 min | 12:30 PM |
| Nov 1 | 6:18 AM | 4:37 PM | 10 h 20 min | 11:28 AM |
| Nov 15 | 6:35 AM | 4:22 PM | 9 h 47 min | 11:29 AM |
| Dec 1 | 6:54 AM | 4:13 PM | 9 h 19 min | 11:33 AM |
| Dec 15 | 7:06 AM | 4:12 PM | 9 h 6 min | 11:39 AM |
Local time in Boston (America/New York), daylight saving time included, rounded to the minute, for an open horizon at sea level.
Earliest sunset, latest sunrise
The shortest day in Boston is December 21, but the earliest sunset comes on December 8, at 4:11 PM, and the latest sunrise in standard time on January 3, at 7:14 AM. This shift comes from the equation of time: around the solstices, solar noon drifts by up to half a minute a day on the clock, so sunrise and sunset do not move symmetrically. On the clock, the latest sunrise of the year is on October 31 (7:16 AM), just before clocks fall back on November 1.
Solar noon and time zone
Boston lies at 42.36° north and 71.06° west. Its standard time, UTC−5, is set on the 75° west meridian, so the sun reaches its highest point in Boston about 16 minutes earlier than on that meridian. Over the year, solar noon falls between 11:28 AM (November 2) and 12:55 PM (March 8) on the clock, daylight saving time included.
Daylight saving time
Boston changes its clocks. In 2026, they spring forward one hour on Sunday, March 8 (UTC−5 to UTC−4) and fall back on Sunday, November 1. On the clock, sunset jumps from 5:41 PM the day before to 6:43 PM on the day of the change. The sun itself does not move: only the clock does.
Height of the sun and twilight
At solar noon the sun climbs to 71.1° above the horizon on June 21, and only 24.2° on December 21. Civil twilight, from first light to sunrise, lasts about 28 minutes at the March equinox and 35 minutes in late June. The day length changes fastest around March 18: 2 min 53 s more each day.
The sky gets fully dark every night of the year: even in midsummer, the sun sinks more than 18° below the horizon.
Other cities: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston. See also the current time in Boston, tonight’s moon phase and sunrise and sunset anywhere.