Seasonal sun path
How the sun path changes throughout the year
The sun takes a different path every day. Through the year its sunrise direction, sunset direction, height, day length and shadow length all shift.
By SunCast team Last updated: October 14, 2026
Short answer
The sun path changes throughout the year because Earth is tilted as it orbits the sun. In summer, the sun usually takes a higher, longer path across the sky. In winter, it takes a lower, shorter path, which creates longer shadows and shorter days.
Seasonal pattern
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Summer | Higher sun path, longer days, shorter midday shadows. |
| Winter | Lower sun path, shorter days, longer shadows. |
| Equinox periods | Day and night are closer in length, with sunrise and sunset nearer east and west. |
| Solstice periods | The seasonal extremes of sun path and day length. |
Why sunrise and sunset move
Around the equinoxes the sun rises close to due east and sets close to due west. Towards the solstices both points move along the horizon to their seasonal extremes, north of east and west in the northern summer and south of them in the northern winter.
Latitude sets how far they move. A place far from the equator sees much larger seasonal swings than a place near it.
A year of sun paths in Cardiff
At the March equinox in Cardiff the sun rises at 06:17 GMT almost exactly in the east (90°), reaches 38.3° at 12:21 and sets at 18:25 in the west (271°), giving 12 h 9 min of daylight.
On 21 June it rises at 04:56 BST in the north-east (49°), climbs to 62.0° at 13:15 and sets at 21:34 in the north-west (311°): 16 h 38 min of daylight. On 21 December it rises at 08:17 GMT in the south-east (129°), peaks at only 15.1° at 12:11 and sets at 16:06 in the south-west (232°), giving 7 h 50 min (calculated with SunCast’s sun calculator).
Between the solstices the sunrise point travels 80° along the horizon. A north-east-facing window (45°) gets the June sunrise almost head-on; in December the sun rises 84° to its side and barely reaches the glass. A 2 m wall on the south side of a garden bed casts a 1.1 m noon shadow in June and a 7.4 m one in December.
What this means in real life
In homes, the seasonal path decides whether rooms get winter light or summer heat. In gardens it changes which beds are sunny enough, and in photography it changes where sunrise and sunset light enters a scene.
For shadows: lower sun makes longer shadows, and higher sun makes shorter ones.
Seasonal examples
Apartment viewing
A room that looks bright in summer may get very little direct sun in winter if nearby buildings block the low sun.
Garden planning
A bed that gets full summer sun may sit in partial shade during spring or autumn.
Photography
A landmark that lines up with sunrise in one season may need a different shooting position in another.
Limits
The seasonal sun path is the astronomical pattern. Local terrain, buildings, trees and weather decide what light actually reaches the ground.
Check it in SunCast
Want to see the seasonal sun path for a real place? SunCast lets you move through dates on the map or in AR and see where the sun will rise, travel and set.
Frequently asked questions
Does the sun rise in the same place every day?
No. The sunrise point shifts along the horizon through the year. In Cardiff it moves from 49° (north-east) in June to 129° (south-east) in December.
Why are winter shadows longer?
Winter shadows are longer because the sun is lower in the sky for the whole day.
Is the pattern the same in both hemispheres?
The seasons are reversed. In Melbourne the noon sun reaches only 28.7° on 21 June, with 9 h 32 min of daylight, and 75.6° on 21 December, with 14 h 47 min. The midday sun is in the north there, not the south.
