Track the sun, precisely.

the sun position tool

Calculate sun position online — for any location

A sun position calculator online shows where the sun is in the sky at a given moment for a given place. This page computes the sun's current azimuth (its compass direction in degrees) and elevation (its height above the horizon), along with sunrise, solar noon, and sunset times — for your live location or any coordinates you enter. Everything runs in your browser, so it is instant, free, and private.

The numbers update in real time as the day progresses, which makes this tool useful for a surprising range of tasks: placing solar panels, planning photography light, arranging garden beds, positioning shade for a patio, or simply knowing when the sun will clear the building across the street.

Azimuth and elevation — reading the sky

Azimuth is the sun's direction measured clockwise from north: 0° is due north, 90° due east, 180° due south, and 270° due west. At midday the sun sits around 180° (due south) in the northern hemisphere and around 0° (due north) in the southern hemisphere. Elevationis the angle of the sun above the horizon, from 0° at sunrise and sunset up to its highest point at solar noon. Together they describe exactly where the sun is in the sky — the same coordinates astronomers and solar engineers use.

The sun's path changes with your latitude and with the season: higher in summer, lower in winter, rising in the east and setting in the west everywhere on Earth. The calculator accounts for all of this through standard solar-position algorithms, so the azimuth and elevation you see are accurate for your date, time, and coordinates.

Why the sun is useful for finding direction

Before compasses and GPS, people used the sun for orientation — and it still works today. Around local noon the sun is due south in the northern hemisphere and due north in the southern hemisphere. At sunrise it is roughly east; at sunset, roughly west. These are reliable rules of thumb, and this page turns them into precise numbers. If you are out in daylight without a compass, check the azimuth here and orient yourself accordingly — then cross-check with theonline compasswhen you are back on your phone.

Sunrise, solar noon, and sunset

The tool also reports the key moments of the day: sunrise, when the sun first appears above the horizon; solar noon, when it reaches its highest point; and sunset, when it disappears. Solar noon is the moment the sun crosses the meridian and casts the shortest shadow — the reference point for the sun-as-compass trick mentioned above.

Because the calculations are local, results shift naturally with your coordinates and the date: northern winters bring short days and low noon elevations, while tropical locations see the sun climb high all year. Wherever you are, this free sun position calculator gives you the solar path at a glance — and pairs perfectly with thebearing calculatorand theQibla finderfor full picture of the sky above you.