which way does the sun set

The Sun always sets generally in the west, but the exact spot on the horizon shifts slightly north or south of due west over the year depending on your location and the season.

Basic answer

• Around the equinoxes (around March 20–21 and September 22–23), the Sun sets almost exactly due west everywhere on Earth except the poles.

• On other days, it sets northwest or southwest of due west, because Earth’s axis is tilted.

How it changes through the year

• At the summer solstice, the Sun sets as far to the northwest as it ever does for your location.

• At the winter solstice, it sets as far to the southwest as it ever does.

• Day by day the sunset point creeps along the horizon, making days longer in summer and shorter in winter.

Quick mental picture

• Think of “west” as the middle point on your horizon.
• Across the year, the sunset slides:
  • From southwest → west → northwest → west → southwest again in a slow annual loop.

So if someone asks “which way does the Sun set,” the accurate reply is: “In the west, slightly northwest in summer and slightly southwest in winter.”

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.