December 2026 Sunrise & Sunset Today in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa 🇿🇦
Sun Phase: Night
Sunrise Today: 06:11 ↑ 81.8° E
Sunset Today: 17:44 ↑ 278.0° W
Day Length: 11h 32m
Sun Direction: ESE
Sun Altitude: -39.49°
Sun Distance: 150.917 million km
Next Equinox: Wednesday, September 23, 2026 (September Equinox)
When Is Sunrise & Sunset in Pietermaritzburg?
December 2026 Sunrise & Sunset Times in Pietermaritzburg
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| Day | Sunrise/Sunset | Daylight | Astronomical Twilight | Nautical Twilight | Civil Twilight | Solar Noon | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunrise | Sunset | Length | Diff. | Start | End | Start | End | Start | End | Time | Sun Dist. (Mil km) | |
| 1 |
04:50
↑
116° ESE
|
18:44
↑
244° WSW
|
13h 53m | +0m 52s | 03:16 | 20:18 | 03:51 | 19:44 | 04:23 | 19:11 | 11:47 | 147.52 |
| 2 |
04:50
↑
116° ESE
|
18:45
↑
244° WSW
|
13h 54m | +0m 50s | 03:16 | 20:19 | 03:51 | 19:44 | 04:23 | 19:12 | 11:47 | 147.50 |
| 3 |
04:50
↑
116° ESE
|
18:45
↑
244° WSW
|
13h 55m | +0m 47s | 03:16 | 20:20 | 03:50 | 19:45 | 04:23 | 19:13 | 11:48 | 147.48 |
| 4 |
04:50
↑
116° ESE
|
18:46
↑
244° WSW
|
13h 55m | +0m 45s | 03:16 | 20:21 | 03:50 | 19:46 | 04:23 | 19:14 | 11:48 | 147.46 |
| 5 |
04:50
↑
116° ESE
|
18:47
↑
244° WSW
|
13h 56m | +0m 43s | 03:16 | 20:22 | 03:50 | 19:47 | 04:23 | 19:15 | 11:48 | 147.43 |
| 6 |
04:50
↑
117° ESE
|
18:48
↑
243° WSW
|
13h 57m | +0m 41s | 03:15 | 20:23 | 03:50 | 19:48 | 04:23 | 19:15 | 11:49 | 147.41 |
| 7 |
04:50
↑
117° ESE
|
18:48
↑
243° WSW
|
13h 58m | +0m 38s | 03:15 | 20:24 | 03:50 | 19:49 | 04:23 | 19:16 | 11:49 | 147.39 |
| 8 |
04:51
↑
117° ESE
|
18:49
↑
243° WSW
|
13h 58m | +0m 36s | 03:15 | 20:25 | 03:50 | 19:50 | 04:23 | 19:17 | 11:50 | 147.37 |
| 9 |
04:51
↑
117° ESE
|
18:50
↑
243° WSW
|
13h 59m | +0m 33s | 03:15 | 20:25 | 03:50 | 19:50 | 04:23 | 19:18 | 11:50 | 147.35 |
| 10 |
04:51
↑
117° ESE
|
18:51
↑
243° WSW
|
13h 59m | +0m 31s | 03:15 | 20:26 | 03:50 | 19:51 | 04:23 | 19:18 | 11:51 | 147.34 |
| 11 |
04:51
↑
117° ESE
|
18:51
↑
243° WSW
|
14h 00m | +0m 28s | 03:15 | 20:27 | 03:51 | 19:52 | 04:23 | 19:19 | 11:51 | 147.32 |
| 12 |
04:51
↑
117° ESE
|
18:52
↑
243° WSW
|
14h 00m | +0m 26s | 03:16 | 20:28 | 03:51 | 19:53 | 04:24 | 19:20 | 11:51 | 147.30 |
| 13 |
04:52
↑
117° ESE
|
18:53
↑
243° WSW
|
14h 01m | +0m 23s | 03:16 | 20:29 | 03:51 | 19:53 | 04:24 | 19:20 | 11:52 | 147.28 |
| 14 |
04:52
↑
118° ESE
|
18:53
↑
242° WSW
|
14h 01m | +0m 21s | 03:16 | 20:29 | 03:51 | 19:54 | 04:24 | 19:21 | 11:52 | 147.27 |
| 15 |
04:52
↑
118° ESE
|
18:54
↑
242° WSW
|
14h 01m | +0m 18s | 03:16 | 20:30 | 03:51 | 19:55 | 04:24 | 19:22 | 11:53 | 147.25 |
| 16 |
04:53
↑
118° ESE
|
18:55
↑
242° WSW
|
14h 01m | +0m 15s | 03:16 | 20:31 | 03:52 | 19:55 | 04:25 | 19:22 | 11:53 | 147.24 |
| 17 |
04:53
↑
118° ESE
|
18:55
↑
242° WSW
|
14h 02m | +0m 13s | 03:17 | 20:31 | 03:52 | 19:56 | 04:25 | 19:23 | 11:54 | 147.22 |
| 18 |
04:53
↑
118° ESE
|
18:56
↑
242° WSW
|
14h 02m | +0m 10s | 03:17 | 20:32 | 03:52 | 19:57 | 04:25 | 19:24 | 11:54 | 147.21 |
| 19 |
04:54
↑
118° ESE
|
18:56
↑
242° WSW
|
14h 02m | +0m 07s | 03:17 | 20:33 | 03:53 | 19:57 | 04:26 | 19:24 | 11:55 | 147.19 |
| 20 |
04:54
↑
118° ESE
|
18:57
↑
242° WSW
|
14h 02m | +0m 05s | 03:18 | 20:33 | 03:53 | 19:58 | 04:26 | 19:25 | 11:55 | 147.18 |
| 21 |
04:55
↑
118° ESE
|
18:57
↑
242° WSW
|
14h 02m | +0m 02s | 03:18 | 20:34 | 03:54 | 19:58 | 04:27 | 19:25 | 11:56 | 147.17 |
| 22 |
04:55
↑
118° ESE
|
18:58
↑
242° WSW
|
14h 02m | -0m 00s | 03:19 | 20:34 | 03:54 | 19:59 | 04:27 | 19:26 | 11:56 | 147.16 |
| 23 |
04:56
↑
118° ESE
|
18:58
↑
242° WSW
|
14h 02m | -0m 02s | 03:19 | 20:35 | 03:55 | 19:59 | 04:28 | 19:26 | 11:57 | 147.15 |
| 24 |
04:56
↑
118° ESE
|
18:59
↑
242° WSW
|
14h 02m | -0m 05s | 03:20 | 20:35 | 03:55 | 20:00 | 04:28 | 19:27 | 11:57 | 147.14 |
| 25 |
04:57
↑
118° ESE
|
18:59
↑
242° WSW
|
14h 02m | -0m 08s | 03:20 | 20:35 | 03:56 | 20:00 | 04:29 | 19:27 | 11:58 | 147.13 |
| 26 |
04:57
↑
118° ESE
|
19:00
↑
242° WSW
|
14h 02m | -0m 10s | 03:21 | 20:36 | 03:56 | 20:00 | 04:30 | 19:27 | 11:58 | 147.13 |
| 27 |
04:58
↑
118° ESE
|
19:00
↑
242° WSW
|
14h 01m | -0m 13s | 03:22 | 20:36 | 03:57 | 20:01 | 04:30 | 19:28 | 11:59 | 147.12 |
| 28 |
04:59
↑
118° ESE
|
19:00
↑
242° WSW
|
14h 01m | -0m 16s | 03:22 | 20:36 | 03:58 | 20:01 | 04:31 | 19:28 | 11:59 | 147.12 |
| 29 |
04:59
↑
118° ESE
|
19:01
↑
243° WSW
|
14h 01m | -0m 18s | 03:23 | 20:36 | 03:58 | 20:01 | 04:31 | 19:28 | 12:00 | 147.11 |
| 30 |
05:00
↑
117° ESE
|
19:01
↑
243° WSW
|
14h 01m | -0m 21s | 03:24 | 20:37 | 03:59 | 20:01 | 04:32 | 19:29 | 12:00 | 147.11 |
| 31 |
05:01
↑
117° ESE
|
19:01
↑
243° WSW
|
14h 00m | -0m 24s | 03:25 | 20:37 | 04:00 | 20:02 | 04:33 | 19:29 | 12:01 | 147.11 |
|
All times are in local time for Pietermaritzburg. Daylight Saving Time (DST) is not currently in effect. Calculations account for atmospheric refraction and are based on the Gregorian calendar. Today's date is in the table. |
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In Pietermaritzburg, the earliest sunrise of December is on December 01 to 07 and the latest sunset of December is on December 29 to 31.
2026 Sun Graph for Pietermaritzburg
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Sun's Path on Selected Date in Pietermaritzburg
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Is the Day Getting Longer or Shorter in Pietermaritzburg?
Days in Pietermaritzburg are currently getting longer by about 1m 42s each day, roughly 12 minutes more daylight per week.
Golden Hour & Blue Hour in Pietermaritzburg Today
| Morning | Evening | |
|---|---|---|
| Blue hour | 05:47-05:56 | 17:59-18:08 |
| Golden hour | 05:56-06:42 | 17:13-17:59 |
Pietermaritzburg's Longest and Shortest Days
| Event | Date | Daylight |
|---|---|---|
| Longest day | December 21, 2026 | 14h 02m |
| Shortest day | June 22, 2026 | 10h 14m |
| Earliest sunrise | December 1, 2026 | 04:50 |
| Latest sunset | January 3, 2027 | 19:02 |
Qibla Direction & Distance to Mecca From Pietermaritzburg
The same solar geometry that fixes sunrise and sunset in Pietermaritzburg also fixes the Qibla: face 11deg (N) and the Kaaba in Mecca lies about 5,765 km ahead. Check the Qibla direction from Pietermaritzburg on a live compass.
Understanding Twilight & the Golden Hour
After the sun drops below the horizon, the sky does not turn dark all at once. Civil twilight is the brightest stage, when there is still enough natural light for most outdoor activities. Nautical twilight follows, when the sea horizon becomes hard to make out. Astronomical twilight is the darkest stage, after which the sky is fully dark and the faintest stars appear. The same three stages occur in reverse before sunrise, as dawn.
Photographers in Pietermaritzburg get the golden hour at 05:56-06:42 in the morning and 17:13-17:59 in the evening today; the bluish blue hour falls near 05:47-05:56 and 17:59-18:08. Both windows move across the seasons.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sun in Pietermaritzburg
What time is sunrise in Pietermaritzburg today?
Today Pietermaritzburg has sunrise at 06:11 local time.
What time is sunset in Pietermaritzburg today?
Sunset in Pietermaritzburg today is at 17:44 local time.
What time is solar noon in Pietermaritzburg today?
Solar noon in Pietermaritzburg — when the sun is at its highest point in the sky — is at 11:57 local time today.
When does civil twilight begin and end in Pietermaritzburg?
In Pietermaritzburg today: civil twilight begins at 05:47 (before sunrise) and ends at 18:08 (after sunset). Civil twilight is the brightest of the three twilight phases.
When does nautical twilight occur in Pietermaritzburg?
Nautical twilight in Pietermaritzburg today runs from 05:19 in the morning to 18:36 in the evening — the period when the horizon is still visible to sailors but stars are out.
When is the sky fully dark in Pietermaritzburg for stargazing?
Astronomical twilight in Pietermaritzburg ends at 19:04 in the evening and resumes at 04:52 in the morning — between those times the sky is fully dark, ideal for observing faint stars and deep-sky objects.
Where on the horizon does the sun rise and set in Pietermaritzburg?
Today in Pietermaritzburg, the sun rises at an azimuth of 82° and sets at 278° (measured clockwise from due north). The exact angle shifts slightly each day with the seasons.
