The earth rotates around an imaginary axis in a counterclockwise direction.
This rotation causes our daytime and night time.
If you find a simple globe, turn off the lights, point a flashlight at the globe, and spin it counterclockwise will you will notice the following. As the earth rotates notice how the east coast of Australia moves into the sunlight first, and then notice the last part of Australia to receive sunlight is the west coast.
So in the morning when you look at the sun rising you are looking east.
In the evening when you see the sunset you are looking towards the west.
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west only two times a year in each hemisphere
In the northern hemisphere on March 20, which is the first day of spring also called the vernal equinox the sun rises due east. Moving forward the sun then starts setting more northeast. The sun continues to set a little more northeast each day until June 20 or 21 which is the first day of summer also called the summer solstice. After the summer solstice, the sun starts setting less to the north until September 22 which is the autumn equinox or the first day of autumn on this day the sun sets due east again.
After this day it will rise a little further southeast until December 21 or 22 which is the first day of winter also called the winter solstice.
After this day it sets a little less south until March 20, which is the spring equinox.
It takes one year to complete this cycle.
In the southern hemisphere,
- The first day of spring is September 22
- The summer solstice is between December 20-22
- The autumn equinox is March 20
- The winter solstice is June 21st
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