Bloomington, IN: shortest day and earliest sunset
The shortest day in Bloomington
On Dec 21 the sun rises at 8:02 am and sets at 5:27 pm: 9h 25m of daylight, a moderate winter. The longest day of summer has 14h 56m, so the swing is 5h 31m.
When it gets better in Bloomington
- Earliest sunset: 5:23 pm on Dec 7, before the shortest day (here is why).
- Latest sunrise (standard time): 8:06 am on Jan 4.
- Back above 10 hours of daylight: Jan 25.
- By Feb 21 the days grow by 2.4 minutes a day.
Waking and coming home in the dark
With a 7:00 am alarm, the sun is not yet up on 178 weekdays a year. Heading home at 5:30 pm, it has already set on 28. 28 weekdays start and end in the dark. The alarm and lamp guide shows how that compares across the country.
At 39.2°N this sits between Sarasota FL (27°N, 1.4%) and Nashua NH (43°N, 9.7%) in a 1990 survey of winter depression by latitude.
What to do about it in Bloomington
- A sunrise alarm clock is worth getting here: on 138 weekdays the sun is still at least 20 minutes from rising at 7:00 am. Dark mornings run from Aug 17 to Apr 21, so set it up before Aug 17.
- There is some case for a light therapy lamp: 28 weekdays start and end in the dark. If you notice winter low mood, ask a doctor whether one fits you.
- If you head home at 5:30 pm, the sun has already set from Nov 18 to Dec 25: worth checking your bike lights and porch light before Nov 18.
Daylight in Bloomington, month by month
Sunrise, sunset and day length on the 21st of each month, local clock time. December is the darkest, at 9h 25m.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | 6:37 am | 9:08 pm | 14h 30m |
| August 2026 | 7:05 am | 8:33 pm | 13h 28m |
| September 2026 | 7:33 am | 7:45 pm | 12h 12m |
| October 2026 | 8:02 am | 6:59 pm | 10h 57m |
| November 2026 | 7:36 am | 5:28 pm | 9h 52m |
| December 2026 | 8:02 am | 5:27 pm | 9h 25m |
| January 2027 | 8:01 am | 5:54 pm | 9h 53m |
| February 2027 | 7:30 am | 6:30 pm | 11h 00m |
| March 2027 | 7:48 am | 7:59 pm | 12h 11m |
| April 2027 | 7:01 am | 8:29 pm | 13h 28m |
| May 2027 | 6:28 am | 8:58 pm | 14h 30m |
| June 2027 | 6:20 am | 9:16 pm | 14h 56m |
Bloomington against the places around it
On the shortest day, compared with Bloomington (9h 25m, sunset 5:27 pm):
- Martinsville, IN, 18 mi away: 9h 23m of daylight (-2 min), sunset 5:26 pm (-1 min).
- Bedford, IN, 21 mi away: 9h 27m of daylight (+2 min), sunset 5:27 pm (0 min).
- Bargersville, IN, 31 mi away: 9h 22m of daylight (-3 min), sunset 5:24 pm (-3 min).
- Mooresville, IN, 31 mi away: 9h 22m of daylight (-3 min), sunset 5:25 pm (-2 min).
- Columbus, IN, 32 mi away: 9h 24m of daylight (-1 min), sunset 5:24 pm (-3 min).