Sunset Time in Quito Today

Sunset & Daylight Patterns Specific to Quito

Quito sits at 0.2° S in the equatorial zone. It is the drier half of the year there now, and the sun currently spends 12.1 hours above the horizon each day.

Being in the southern hemisphere, Quito's longest days fall in December and shortest in June — the opposite of cities in North America or Europe. Solstice sunsets in December can be 12 hours after sunrise. Day length barely moves in Quito: 12.1 hours at the longest and 12.1 at the shortest, a swing of well under two hours. Planning here is about rain and cloud timing, not about racing the light.

Golden hour in Quito lasts about 40 minutes today, with civil twilight adding a further 21 minutes of usable blue-hour light after sunset.

The most photogenic sunset conditions in Quito come in June, July, August, when the atmosphere is clearest and high-pressure systems push cloud layers away from the western horizon. Quito experiences the same sunrise and sunset times year-round — the sun rises at approximately 6:15 AM and sets at 6:25 PM every single day of the year, because the city sits directly on the equator.

Civil twilight at Quito's latitude lasts approximately 21 minutes after the sun drops below the horizon — this is the "blue hour" window of soft, diffused light that photographers prize above all others. At 0.2°, this window is brief, making precise timing critical — the sky transitions from golden to dark in under half an hour.

Sun & Moon Times in Quito

Sunset timing in Quito is driven by latitude and season. We apply atmospheric refraction corrections for accuracy within one minute. Golden hour begins roughly 60 minutes before sunset — the most valuable window for photography, outdoor dining, and evening walks.

Sunset in Quito shifts by several minutes each week. Summer evenings are longest, winter sunsets arrive earliest. Cloud cover near the horizon does not change the sunset time itself, though it can hide the sun a few minutes early and often produces the most dramatic color displays.

For the best sunset experience, arrive at your viewing spot 30 minutes before the listed time. Conditions can shift — check again on the day itself.

What Determines Sunset Time?

Sunset time in Quito is determined by the city's latitude, longitude, and the time of year. During summer, the Earth's axial tilt causes the sun to take a longer path across the sky, resulting in later sunsets. In winter, the opposite occurs — shorter days mean earlier sunsets. Near the equinoxes (March and September), sunset times change most rapidly, shifting by 2–3 minutes per day. At Quito's latitude, the difference between the earliest and latest sunset can be several hours across the year. Our daily calculations use precise astronomical data to give you the exact sunset time accurate to the minute.