Washington, DC
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Sunset time in Washington, DC

In Washington, DC the sun sets as early as 4:45 PM (December 7) and as late as 8:37 PM (June 27). Here is today’s sunset with the golden hour before it and the blue hour after it, then the sunset time for every month of 2026.

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Next 7 days in Washington, DC

What to do during golden hour

Sunset in Washington, DC through the year

The longest day of 2026 is June 21, with 14 h 54 min between sunrise and sunset; the shortest is December 21, with 9 h 26 min. The earliest sunset around midwinter (December 7, 4:45 PM) comes 14 days before the shortest day (December 21): from then on sunsets get later even though the days are still getting shorter, because sunrise is getting later even faster. In 2026 clocks go forward on March 8 and back on November 1; sunset jumps an hour later when clocks go forward and an hour earlier when they go back.

Sunset in Washington, DC on the 15th of each month, 2026, local time including daylight saving time.
DateGolden hour startsSunsetDarkDay length
Jan 154:29 PM5:10 PM5:39 PM9 h 45 min
Feb 155:08 PM5:45 PM6:13 PM10 h 46 min
Mar 156:39 PM7:15 PM7:41 PM11 h 56 min
Apr 157:09 PM7:45 PM8:12 PM13 h 14 min
May 157:35 PM8:14 PM8:44 PM14 h 18 min
Jun 157:55 PM8:35 PM9:07 PM14 h 53 min
Jul 157:53 PM8:32 PM9:03 PM14 h 38 min
Aug 157:26 PM8:02 PM8:31 PM13 h 41 min
Sep 156:41 PM7:16 PM7:43 PM12 h 27 min
Oct 155:53 PM6:29 PM6:56 PM11 h 12 min
Nov 154:14 PM4:54 PM5:22 PM10 h 3 min
Dec 154:05 PM4:47 PM5:17 PM9 h 27 min

Golden hour and blue hour in Washington, DC

The evening golden hour in Washington, DC lasts about 35 minutes around the March and September equinoxes, 40 minutes in late June and 42 minutes in late December. The blue hour after sunset lasts about 27, 32 and 30 minutes at those same times of year. Head out about 35 minutes before sunset to catch both.

How long the evening light lasts in Washington, DC, month by month

Evening windows in Washington, DC on the 15th of each month, 2026, flat horizon. Golden hour: sun 6° above the horizon to sunset. Film magic hour: sunset to 6° below (civil twilight). Blue hour: 4° to 6° below (PhotoPills definition).
DateGolden hourFilm magic hourBlue hour
Jan 1541 min29 min11 min
Feb 1537 min27 min11 min
Mar 1535 min27 min10 min
Apr 1536 min28 min11 min
May 1538 min30 min12 min
Jun 1540 min32 min13 min
Jul 1539 min31 min12 min
Aug 1536 min28 min11 min
Sep 1535 min27 min10 min
Oct 1536 min27 min10 min
Nov 1539 min29 min11 min
Dec 1542 min30 min11 min

Washington, DC lies at 38.9° N, and the further a place is from the equator the more slowly the sun sinks at sunset, so the evening golden hour here runs from 35 minutes in March to 42 minutes in December, against 27 to 30 minutes all year at the equator.

How long is golden hour in Washington, DC? has the same numbers with answers to the common questions.

Where to watch the sunset in Washington, DC

From the grounds of the Washington Monument the sun sets behind the Lincoln Memorial; across the river, the hills of Arlington look back at the monuments lit by the evening sun.

How these times are calculated

Times are computed for Washington, DC (38.91° N, 77.04° W) with the NOAA solar-position algorithm, for a flat horizon, in local time (America/New York). They are usually within a minute of published tables. Hills, buildings and weather can hide the sun a few minutes earlier than shown.

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