Extremes of daylight in Iceland.

The northern most peninsula of Iceland is Rifstangi at 66°32,3´N. The southern most peninsula is Dyrholaey at 63°23,6´N. The western most peninsula is Bjargartangi at 24°32,1´V and the eastern most peninsula is Gerpir at 13°29,6´V. So the mainland of Iceland lies between those parallels of latitude.

Basically this means that there is a huge difference from sunrise to sunset between the longest and shortest days of the year in Iceland.

Around December 22 the days are very short, around 4 hours from sunrise to sunset, and if it is cloudy there can be hardly any daylight.  Around  June 20 on the other hand this turns totally around. Sunrise is around 03:00 and the sunset is not until midnight and it never gets dark, about 21 hours from sunrise to sunset.

The interesting and important thing for photographers is though, that in Iceland the magic twilight extends into hours through the year when weather conditions allow.


Winter solstice is December 22. In Reykjavik the first light of dawn is then 10:03, sunrise 11:22, sunset 15:30 and darkness 16:49

Viđey vetur
Einar Erlendsson


Hafnarfj tungl
Ragnar Th Sigurðsson


Tingv vetur
Ragnar Th Sigurðsson



Summer solstice was 20. June.  Sunrise in Reykjavik was 02:54, noon 13:29 and sunset 24:04. There is no darkness, as it doesn’t get dark.

Sumar sól 1
Ragnar Th Sigurðsson


Sumar sól 2
Ragnar Th Sigurðsson


Sumar sól 3
Ragnar Th Sigurðsson



Equinox at spring was March 21. Dawn was then 06:39, sunrise 07:26, sunset 19:46 and darkness 20:33.

Equinox in the autumn was September 23. Dawn was at 06:24, sunrise 07:12, sunset 19:27 and darkness 20:14.