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Earth’s rotation makes the Sun appear over the eastern horizon.

The Claim

The Sun rises in the east.

Verified by Lenz ·

The Short Version

The standard astronomical description is accurate: Earth’s rotation makes the Sun appear to rise along the eastern horizon. Its exact position shifts northeast or southeast with season and latitude, and it rises precisely due east only around the equinoxes, but those variations do not contradict the ordinary wording.

Caveats

  • “East” describes the general eastern horizon; sunrise is exactly due east only around the equinoxes.
  • Polar regions can experience extended periods without a daily sunrise or sunset.

The Receipts

  1. Why does the Sun rise in the east and set in the west? - StarChild

    starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov

  2. Whither Does the Sun Rove?

    doi.org

  3. Whither does the Sun rove?

    arxiv.org

  4. data.giss.nasa.gov

    data.giss.nasa.gov

  5. Daily motion - Space Weather Explorers - UC Berkeley

    spaceweather.ssl.berkeley.edu

  6. The Sun’s position in the sky

    doi.org

  7. Why does the Earth spin? - The Conversation

    theconversation.com

  8. Where Does the Sun Rise and Set? - Stanford Solar Center

    solar-center.stanford.edu

  9. Think you know where the Sun rises and sets? You may not have the full picture | BBC Sky at Night Magazine

    skyatnightmagazine.com

  10. Why Does the Sun Rise in the East (and Set in the West)? - Universe Today

    universetoday.com

+ 18 more sources — see the full list on Lenz

Filed Under

Earthsun

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