Day and Night cycle in Minecraft explained

Image via TheGameSpider/YouTube
Image via TheGameSpider/YouTube

The daylight cycle in Minecraft, actually operates proportional to it's real world counterpart.

Mankind has consistently marveled at the nature of how the Sun rises and sets in a single day. Thanks to philosophers and scientists, the people of the world were able to form a sense of understanding for this phenomenon.

Well, the world of Minecraft operates on a day and night cycle that is based exactly upon the one on Earth. In one game day, the sun both rises and sets.

This article will be taking a deep dive into the daylight cycle of Minecraft, and explain why it is important for players to understand it.


Day and Night cycle in Minecraft explained

Image via wallhere.com
Image via wallhere.com

Minecraft's daylight cycle does not operate in the exact real time of the one occurring here on Earth. However, it does work the exact same way timing wise. Time in Minecraft flows 72 times faster than it does in the real world, which makes a single full Minecraft day 20 minutes long.

For any math fans out there, this means that one full week in Minecraft time will occur in 2.3 hours of real world time. It's kind of crazy that an entire week of Minecraft time can go by in what could be a single session of gameplay.


Times of the day to be aware of

Image via mineimatorforums.com
Image via mineimatorforums.com

#1 Villagers begin their work day at 8:00:00.0 and end their workday at 15:00:00.0

#2 Beds can begin being used at 18:00.36.0 in rainy weather and at 18:32.31.2 in clear weather

#3 The first tick when hostile mobs will begin spawning is at 19:11:16.8. The last tick when hostile mobs will spawn in clear weather is at 4:48:43.2 and at 5:01:51.6 in rainy weather.


Avoiding hostile mobs with a clock

Image via Blu3Craft3r/YouTube
Image via Blu3Craft3r/YouTube

Minecraft players are not always able to keep track of the time, while they are adventuring throughout the plains and biomes of the game. For example, players on a mining expedition underground, will have no idea what time it is on the surface.

This is where a clock can come in handy, so a player does not accidently emerge during the middle of the night and fall prey to ravenous Creepers and other hostile mobs.

A clock is rather simple item to make, and only requires a single piece of redstone dust and four gold ingots. They can also be found in chests near ruined portals and the map chest from a shipwreck.