The Sun generally rises in the east and sets in the west, but this is a simplification. In reality, the exact direction of sunrise and sunset changes throughout the year due to the tilt of the Earth's axis and its orbit around the Sun.

• On the two equinox days (around March 20/21 and September 22/23), the Sun rises exactly due east and sets exactly due west everywhere on Earth except the poles

• On other days, the Sun rises either north or south of due east and sets north or south of due west. Around the summer solstice (about June 21 in the Northern Hemisphere), the Sun rises as far northeast and sets as far northwest as it ever does. After the solstice, the rising and setting points gradually shift southward until the fall equinox

• In the Northern Hemisphere, during summer, the Sun rises north of east and sets north of west; in winter, it rises south of east and sets south of west. The opposite pattern occurs in the Southern Hemisphere

• The amount of deviation from due east and west depends on your latitude, with higher latitudes experiencing larger shifts. For example, at the equator, the Sun's rising and setting points vary by about 23.44°, but at higher latitudes, the deviation can be greater

In summary, the Sun rises roughly in the east and sets roughly in the west, but the precise direction varies daily, moving north or south of these points depending on the season and your location on Earth