The nights are getting longer, alas! But during the day, it’s still warm and sunny on the streets of Montreal. Since the fall equinox on September 23, there have been more hours of night than hours of sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere.
And this Sunday, October 4, 2026, is the first day of the year when the sun sets at 6:30 p.m.
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THE EQUINOX, THE SOLSTICE, THE DARKEST DAYS OF THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE’S CELESTIAL CALENDAR
Without despairing over the days that will grow shorter and shorter at an ever-increasing pace, we know that between the equinox and the winter solstice (the longest night of the year) on December 21, 2026, the sun will set earlier and earlier.
The word “equinox” comes from the Latinaequus (equal) andnox(night). It is a day and a night that each last 12 hours. The hours of daylight and the hours of darkness are equal. From an astronomical perspective, it is a moment when the sun is perfectly aligned with the Earth. The Earth’s axis of rotation is aligned with the sun without tilting to either side of the equator.
During the equinox, the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere receive the same amount of light—and the same amount of shadow. There are two equinoxes each year, in the fall and in the spring. In 2026 (in the Northern Hemisphere), the fall equinox is on September 23, and the spring equinox is on March 20.
The winter solstice, the longest night of the year, falls on December 21, 2026. This is an astronomical event caused by the tilt of the Earth’s axis relative to the planet’s orbit around the sun.
This also marks the official start of winter—astronomically speaking, even though it very often snows much earlier in Montreal.
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THE FIRST SUNSET AT 6:30 PM IN MONTREAL
This Sunday, October 4, is the first time the sun will set at 6:30 p.m. (and 40 seconds) in Montreal. Since September 23, we’ve lost nearly 12 minutes of sunlight. It may not seem like much, but it makes a big difference.
For those who work until 5:30 p.m. and head straight home, this means arriving at their apartment after dark. For those who love to party but also cherish their “beauty sleep,” it’s a chance to go out for cocktails with friends earlier and earlier.
We recommend celebrating the first sunset of the year at 6:30 p.m.;
- by wearing sunglasses on the street at least until 7:00 p.m., in a “sunglasses at night” vibe
- if you go out for a drink at 5:30 p.m., you’ll return home in the dark at 8:00 p.m. (8:30 p.m. at the latest) and sleep for 12 hours
- by going to see *Possession* (1981) at a “matinee” at the Cinéma du Parc at 2:30 p.m., so we can head home (early) under the last warm rays of the sun and crawl under the covers
Before the end of October, we’ll lose another half-hour of sunlight. On October 31, 2026, the sun will set at 5:44 p.m.
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