Over the course of the year, the Sun does not rise due east and set due west; only twice during the year will it actually do this. During the rest of the year and depending on the observer's latitude, the Sun shifts its rising and setting position relative to the east and west points. This annual migration of the Sun through an observer's sky is shown for typical northern latitudes.
At the time of the summer solstice, the first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere which occurs on or about June 21, the Sun rises as far north of the east point and sets as far north of the west point as at any time during the year. Over the three months of summer, the Sun moves back south toward the east and west points when it rises and sets. During summer, the hours of daylight are longest and the Sun is highest in the sky. At the time of the autumnal equinox, the first day of autumn, which occurs on or about September 22, the Sun rises due east and sets due west. On this day, all places on Earth experience 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. During the three months following the autumnal equinox, the Sun continues its southward migration in the sky, so that by the time of the winter solstice, the first day of winter, which occurs on or about December 22, the rising and setting points are as far south as at any time during the year. At the time of the winter solstice, the angular distance of the rising and setting points of the Sun south of the east and west points is equal to the angular distance of the rising and setting points north of the east and west points at the time of the summer solstice. The length of daylight is now the shortest, and the Sun is lowest in the sky. Over the six month period from winter solstice through the time of the vernal equinox, the first day of spring, which occurs on or about March 21, to the summer solstice, the Sun rises and sets farther north each day. At the time of the vernal equinox, the Sun rises due east and sets due west, when there are again 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness.