Star Trails Compendium

Why does the Sun's position change with the seasons?

Unless you live on the Equator where the change is minimal, the Sun will be higher in the sky in summer and lower in winter. When it is higher in the sky its path across the sky is longer and thus you have longer days with the reverse true in winter. The angle striking the ground is different as well. When the Sun is high in the sky it will feel hotter than when it is lower. Thus, in the summer the Sun is high and hot plus it's up longer while in winter the Sun is low and cooler in addition to being up for a shorter time, resulting in cooler temperatures. The Sun will rise and set in a different place depending on the season. On the equinox (approximately March 22 and September 23) the Sun rises in true East and sets in true West with night and day of equal length. The longest day of the year, known as the Summer Solstice, is usually right around June 21, with the shortest day or Winter Solstice, right around December 22. The Sun will always be in the same position for those events which many ancient civilizations knew and lined up their pyramids and various other structures so that they would line up with the Sun on one of those days.