The Sun generally sets in the west. However, the exact direction of sunset changes throughout the year due to the tilt of the Earth's axis and its orbit around the Sun.

• On the two equinoxes (around March 21 and September 22), the Sun sets due west.
• Between the equinoxes, the sunset point shifts north or south of due west:
  • Around the summer solstice (about June 21 in the Northern Hemisphere), the Sun sets northwest.
  • Around the winter solstice (about December 21 in the Northern Hemisphere), the Sun sets southwest.
• The amount of this shift depends on your latitude; the farther from the equator, the more pronounced the shift.

In summary, while the Sun always sets roughly in the west, the precise direction varies seasonally between northwest and southwest in the Northern Hemisphere, and the opposite in the Southern Hemisphere