The Journey of the Sun – What Direction Does the Sunrise Take?

Every day, the rise of the sun brings with it a beautiful and inspiring new start. But have you ever wondered what direction the sun takes when it rises? The answer will depend on the time of year, location, and your perspective from the world we live in.

The Sun Takes a Different Path in the Northern and Southern Halves of the World

In the northern hemisphere, the sun appears to travel east to west, moving from lower-left to upper-right across the sky. This is because the earth rotates from west to east, so the sun appears to move in the opposite direction. In the southern hemisphere, it goes in the opposite direction, moving lower-right to upper-left, again due to the earth’s rotation.

The Sun Follows an Arc in the Sky

No matter what time of year or where in the world you are, the sun always follows an arc in the sky. The arc it follows is determined by the tilt of the earth’s rotation axis and its relationship to the sun’s position in the sky. In winter, the arc of the sun is lower in the sky, while in summer it is higher. In the northern hemisphere, the sun rises in the southeast and sets in the southwest. It’s the opposite in the southern hemisphere, where the sun rises in the northeast and sets in the northwest.

How to Track the Sun’s Direction

The easiest way to track the sun’s direction is to use an app or a website that has a sun path calculator. Google Earth has a path tool built into it, or you can check out websites like Sunrise Sunset that can tell you the exact path the sun will take each day.

No matter what direction the sun takes when it rises, we can always find joy and hope in its promise of a new day. Each morning, it reminds us that no matter what has come before, a new day is always on the horizon.