On this Friday, March 20, 2026, the sun will rise at 06:30 and set at 18:43, granting us 12 hours and 13 minutes of daylight. The preceding night will last a slightly shorter 11 hours and 47 minutes. This is day 79 of the year, a moment perched right on the cusp of spring. It has already been 89 days since the shortest day of winter, and we are just one day away from the official spring equinox, when day and night will briefly meet as equals.

Today, we gain a generous 8 minutes of daylight compared to yesterday. This bonus is split evenly, with the sun rising 4 minutes earlier and setting 4 minutes later, as if it’s stretching its schedule in both directions to make the most of the awakening season. Since the last equinox, we have collectively gained over 223 minutes of light, a steady and welcome climb out of the dark.

As a brief aside, today’s date marks the spring equinox: the specific moment when the sun crosses the celestial equator, happening at the same instant globally, though the actual day and night lengths aren't perfectly equal.