If you’re looking out the window right now, maybe planning a quick run or trying to time the perfect golden hour photo, you’ve probably noticed something. The days are finally starting to stretch. It’s subtle, but it's happening. Honestly, by mid-January, we’re all a little desperate for that extra sliver of light.
The short answer for what time sun is setting today
If you are in Orlando, the sun is setting today at 5:53 PM.
Wait. Don't just set your alarm and walk away. There is a "kinda" complicated catch. While 5:53 PM is when the top edge of the sun technically dips below the horizon, it doesn’t actually get dark then. Not even close. You’ve still got what we call Civil Twilight, which lasts until 6:18 PM. That’s that magical period where there’s enough natural light to basically do anything outside without needing to flick on a flashlight.
The timing is shifting fast. Just a few weeks ago, in early December, the sun was checking out before 5:30 PM. Now, we’re gaining about a minute of daylight every single day. It sounds small. But by the end of the month, you’ll look up at 6:00 PM and realize the sky isn't pitch black anymore.
Why the "official" sunset time feels like a lie
Have you ever noticed that the "official" time on your phone sometimes feels off? Like, you look at the horizon at 5:53 PM and the sun is clearly still there, or maybe it’s already gone?
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Refraction is the culprit.
The Earth’s atmosphere actually bends the sun’s rays. It’s basically a giant lens. When you "see" the sun sitting right on the horizon line at 5:53 PM, the sun is physically already below the horizon. You’re looking at a ghost image—a projection created by the air. Physics is weird like that.
Then there's your height. If you’re at the top of a high-rise downtown or maybe riding a certain tall coaster at a theme park, you’ll see the sun for a good minute or two longer than someone standing on the sidewalk. According to the Farmers’ Almanac, for every mile of altitude, sunset is delayed by about one minute. Not that many of us are a mile up in Florida, but even a few hundred feet changes the math.
The January 18 solar breakdown
Today is a bit special because we’re also hitting a New Moon at exactly 2:53 PM.
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What does that mean for your sunset?
Basically, the moon is hanging out right next to the sun in the sky today. When the sun goes down at 5:53 PM, the moon is going down right with it, invisible to us because its "backside" is lit up. This makes for a truly dark night. If the clouds clear out, tonight is actually a prime time for stargazing once we hit Astronomical Twilight around 7:15 PM.
- Sunrise: 7:19 AM
- Sunset: 5:53 PM
- Total Daylight: 10 hours and 34 minutes
- Light Gain: +1 minute compared to yesterday
It’s interesting to note that even though we’re gaining light, we haven’t hit the coldest part of the year yet. Meteorologists like to talk about "seasonal lag." Even though the sun is staying up longer, the ground and the ocean are still shedding the heat they stored up all summer. We usually don't hit the "bottom" of the temperature curve until the third week of January.
Common myths about the sun's schedule
Most people think the earliest sunset happens on the Winter Solstice (December 21).
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Actually, it doesn't.
In Orlando, the earliest sunset actually happened back in early December. The reason is that a "solar day"—the time it takes for the sun to return to the same spot in the sky—isn't exactly 24 hours. It varies because the Earth’s orbit is an ellipse, not a perfect circle. Around now, the Earth is actually closer to the sun (perihelion was on January 3), so we’re moving a bit faster in our orbit.
This causes a desync between our mechanical clocks and the sun’s actual position. That’s why your mornings might still feel painfully dark even though the afternoons are clearly getting brighter. The sunrise doesn't start moving significantly earlier until we're well into January.
How to use this extra light
Knowing exactly what time sun is setting today is more than just trivia; it’s about timing your life. If you’re a gardener, you’ve got that tiny extra window to check your plants before the temperature drops. If you’re a photographer, you want to be in position by 5:30 PM to catch the transition into the 5:53 PM set.
Next steps to make the most of the shift:
- Adjust your outdoor lights: If you have manual timers for your porch or security lights, bump them ten minutes later than you had them in December.
- Plan for the "Blue Hour": Between 6:00 PM and 6:15 PM tonight, the sky will take on a deep, saturated blue hue. This is the best time for architectural photography or just a quiet walk.
- Check the sky for "Earthshine": Since it’s a New Moon, over the next two days, keep an eye out right after sunset. You might see the "old moon in the new moon’s arms," where the dark part of the moon is dimly lit by light reflecting off the Earth.
The days are winning. Every sunset from here on out is a small victory for those of us who prefer the light.