Why Is Sunset So Late in Paris?

By Michael Ferguson

Have you ever wondered why the sun sets so late in Paris during the summer months? It’s a question that has puzzled many visitors to the City of Light. The answer lies in Paris’s location and its relationship with time zones.

Location, Location, Location

Paris is situated in western Europe, specifically in central France. As such, it falls within the Central European Time (CET) zone, which is one hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+1). During the summer months, Paris observes Daylight Saving Time (DST), which means that the clocks are set forward by one hour to UTC+2.

The Science Behind It

The reason why the sun sets so late in Paris during the summer months is due to its location at a higher latitude. The farther north you go, the longer the days become during the summer and shorter during the winter. This is due to Earth’s axial tilt and its orbit around the sun.

The Axial Tilt

Earth has an axial tilt of approximately 23.5 degrees. This means that as it orbits around the sun, different parts of it receive varying amounts of sunlight depending on their position relative to it.

Orbit Around The Sun

Earth’s orbit around the sun is not a perfect circle but rather an ellipse or an oval shape. This means that at certain points in its orbit, Earth is closer or farther away from the sun. When Earth is closer to the sun, it receives more direct sunlight and experiences warmer temperatures.

The Effect on Parisian Summer Nights

Due to its higher latitude and DST observance during summer months, Paris sees some of its latest sunsets during June and July when daylight can stretch until 10 pm or later!

In Conclusion

So there you have it, the reason why the sun sets so late in Paris during the summer months is due to its location within the Central European Time zone and its higher latitude. It’s one of the many quirks that make Paris such a unique and fascinating city to visit.