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Most people know that the Sun "rises in the east and sets in the west". However, most people don't realize that is a generalization. Actually, the Sun only rises due east and sets due west on 2 days of the year -- the spring and fall equinoxes! On other days, the Sun rises either north or south of "due east" and sets north or south of "due west."
Each day the rising and setting points change slightly. At the summer solstice, the Sun rises as far to the northeast as it ever does, and sets as far to the northwest. Every day after that, the Sun rises a tiny bit further south.
At the fall equinox, the Sun rises due east and sets due west. It continues on it's journey southward until, at the winter solstice, the Sun rises are far to the south as it ever does, and sets as far to the southwest.
Many, if not most, prehistoric cultures tracked these rising and settings points with great detail. If they had jagged mountains along the horizon, the exact points could be readily remembered. Without a suitably interesting horizon, standing stones could be arranged to line up with the various rising and setting points. Or, tree poles could replace the standing stones. Or, rock cairns could be used.
I found your post because I'm wondering EXACTLY the same thing. The sun used to west beaming rays right through my living room windows that face west. Now I notice the sun setting noticeably southwest with it's rays beaming in my living room windows that face south. It does give me an uneasy feeling since I have seen the sun set the same for the last 49 years of my life. Yep, I'm concerned. I took a video of the sun setting through my south windows to see if there is a difference in 6 months during summer 2013.
FACT: The sun rises and sets in a different position each and every day. This is due to the axial tilt of the earth. This is elementary school stuff here.
Example: here in Seattle, we see the sun setting to the south of the Olympic range around the winter solstice, and setting over the northern end of the Olympic range around the summer solstice. The rest of theyear the sun sets in different locations between these two points.
Around the winter solstice the sun angle is low, around the summer solstice its high. Again elementary school stuff here.
Example: here in Seattle, we see the sun setting to the south of the Olympic range around the winter solstice, and setting over the northern end of the Olympic range around the summer solstice. The rest of theyear the sun sets in different locations between these two points.
Around the winter solstice the sun angle is low, around the summer solstice its high. Again elementary school stuff here.
You went to a pretty good elementary school, then. I remember at my high school they ran a poll asking people things like, "how long does it take the Earth to orbit the sun" and "how long does it take the Earth to make one rotation" and I think the correct answer rate hovered around 60% with multiple choice answers like day, week, month, and year.
I don't think I bothered arguing that a day wasn't quite the right answer to the last question.
The sun only sets precisely in the west on equinoxes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rockymtnkindagal
Actually, the Sun only rises due east and sets due west on 2 days of the year -- the spring and fall equinoxes!
Strictly speaking, that is true only for an observer on the equator.The sun rises/sets a degree or more north of due east/west (depending upon latitude) for an observer in the northern hemisphere at the time of the equinoxes. This is due to (1) the astronomical definition of sunrise/sunset (time when upper limb, not center, of sun touches horizon, (2) atmospheric refraction, and (3) sloping ascent/descent of sun at sunrise/sunset at latitudes other than zero.
I watched the sun set today in the southwest, We have ice and snow now and my husband said that is why it looked like it was on fire with blue and purple rays around it. Then I asked him why the sun was setting south west instead of west. I have watched the sun set from my bedroom window countless times, and have never been able to see it from my front window on can see it rise in the east. I came online to see if anybody else noticed this. Can someone explain this to me that knows.
I believe the difference directional sets and rises would be because of the tilt of the Earth's axis and where the Earth is in its orbit around the Sun. The further away from the Equator you are, the more pronounce the distinction is; the closer to the Equator you are, the more of a true East/West rise/set observance.
As for the op's compass, no clue on that one.
A compass in a car? Was it a GPS compass or a magnetic one? A car is made of steel and magnetic fields are affected by steel. Perhaps the compass was wrong. (I had a compass in my car once. On a straight road it would change it's bearing! The compass I have on my computer case points in weird directions, depending on what other steel objects are next to it).
I watched the sun set today in the southwest, We have ice and snow now and my husband said that is why it looked like it was on fire with blue and purple rays around it. Then I asked him why the sun was setting south west instead of west. I have watched the sun set from my bedroom window countless times, and have never been able to see it from my front window on can see it rise in the east. I came online to see if anybody else noticed this. Can someone explain this to me that knows.
That indicates that the earth will self destruct in 17 days and 14 hours ... :-0. (JK)
In your next life please pay attention during astronomy / science class in grade school / junior high school ... in the meantime, you can search Google or go to the library and do a little research on how the Earth & Sun interaction creates days and seasons.
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