How does the Sun appear to move across our sky in the Northern hemisphere?



Image Credit: Philip Lau

Have you ever noticed how
the Sun moves across the sky
during the course of a day?

Does the Sun change its path
through the sky from month
to month?

Are there certain times
during the year when you
know through which part of
the sky the Sun will travel?


These questions are best answered if you have an entire year to make observations of the Sun to see how its movement through the sky varies. If you do not have an entire year to observe the Sun, below are some links that may help you understand the Sun's motion and then you can spend the next year testing your understanding!

Many people know that the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west, but does it rise EXACTLY east and set EXACTLY west every day?

We also know that the days are longer in the summer and shorter in the winter, but have you ever thought about how the Sun's path through the sky is changing to create these differences?

Let's look at a graphic to help understand the answers to these questions.




Winter Solstice sundials