A Year of Sunrises

The sunrise point along the eastern horizon changes slightly from day to day. In the northern hemisphere, it moves northward from the first day of winter until the first day of summer, then returns southward until the first day of winter. Despite a popular misconception, the Sun rises due east (and sets due west) only twice per year, on the equinoxes. The sunrise point changes due to the tilt of Earth’s axis of rotation with respect to the plane of its orbit around the Sun. The change is most perceptible around the equinoxes (around Mar 21 and Sep 21) and least perceptible around the solstices (around Jun 21 and Dec 21). The farther north or south from Earth’s equator, the greater the total change in the sunrise position. In Edmonton, Alberta, at latitude 53.5 N, the change in the sunrise point in the six months between solstices is quite large (84 degrees). One of the best places in Edmonton to see the sunrise point change along a familiar horizon is Valleyview Drive, which is where I photographed sunrise