Where the Sun rises
North of East in summer, south in winter.
Sunrise spot
You watch the Sun rise from the same place all year.
Does the Sun rise at exactly the same spot?
What this lesson covers
The idea
The Sun does not always rise exactly in the East: in summer it rises a little north of East and in winter a little south of East, reaching these extremes at the solstices, in a yearly cycle.
Sunrise spot
You watch the Sun rise from the same place all year.
Does the Sun rise at exactly the same spot?
- No, the spot shifts through the year
- Yes, always exactly East
- Yes, it rises in the North
Sunrise through the year
Open each tab.
A moving sunrise
The Sun does not always rise exactly in the East. In summer it rises a little northward of East, and in winter a little southward of East. These extremes happen at the solstices, and the cycle repeats every year.
The Sun does not always rise exactly in the East. Summer: a little north of East. Winter: a little south of East. Extremes at the solstices; the cycle repeats every year.
Notes
The Sun's rising point shifts through the year: north of East in summer, south in winter.
Check yourself
In summer the Sun rises …
In winter the Sun rises …
Does the Sun always rise exactly in the East?
The extremes of the Sun's rising point occur at the …
- a little south of East. That is in winter.
- exactly in the West. The Sun never rises in the West.
- a little north of East — correct. Yes!
- a little south of East — correct. Yes!
- a little north of East. That is in summer.
- exactly in the North. The Sun rises close to East.
- Yes. Its rising point shifts through the year.
- No — correct. Yes!
- Only in summer. It does not always rise exactly in the East.
- full Moon. The extremes occur at the solstices.
- new Moon. The extremes occur at the solstices.
- solstices — correct. Yes!