Every location page on this site includes a sun path diagram. Once you can read it, you can predict the light at a place you've never visited.
The layout
- North is at the top, east on the right, south at the bottom and west on the left — like a map seen from above.
- The outer circle is the horizon (altitude 0°). The center is straight overhead (90°).
- Dashed rings mark 30° and 60° above the horizon.
- Each arc is the sun's path across the sky on one day.
The three arcs
- June solstice (orange): the longest, highest arc. The sun rises far to the northeast and sets far to the northwest.
- Equinoxes (dashed): sunrise due east, sunset due west everywhere on Earth.
- December solstice (blue): the shortest, lowest arc, rising southeast and setting southwest.
Every other day of the year falls between these arcs. The dots where each arc meets the horizon are the sunrise and sunset points.
What it tells a photographer
- Which side of a landmark is lit at sunrise or sunset in a given season.
- Whether the sun sets into the ocean or behind a ridge from your position.
- How high the midday sun climbs — low winter sun means soft, directional light all day at northern latitudes.
- When a canyon floor gets direct light — only when the sun is high enough to clear the walls.
Altitude and shadows
A sun 45° high casts shadows as long as objects are tall; at 10° shadows are almost six times longer, which is why low light reveals texture. The shadow length calculator does the math.
Try it
Open the interactive sun path diagram, enter your location and drag the time slider; or see the whole year at once in the daylight chart.
About 1 min read · Updated 2026-10-20