Sun position calculator
Find the Sun’s true-north azimuth and elevation for any location, date and local time. Read both angles together and compare the daily curve.
Calculator controls
Search by address, place, district, or city.
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
-27.4698°, 153.0251°
Calculated result
2026-10-19 · Australia/Brisbane
Local time
12:00
Australia/Brisbane
Azimuth
339.2°
North
Altitude
+71.2°
Angle above or below the horizon
Daylight state
day
Hourly classification used by the main tool
The CSV records the current location, date, timezone, model identifier, and every result shown for this calculator. It excludes raw geocoding-provider payloads.
Read a fixed example
At Perth (-31.9523°, 115.8613°) on 2026-03-20, enter 10:00 in Australia/Perth (AWST, UTC+08:00). This is the clock time at the observation point. If you are elsewhere, use Perth's local time for this example, not your own clock.
Together, the two readings locate the Sun to the north-east and above the horizon at that instant. Change the time to follow its motion; trees, terrain and buildings can still block the light.
Load this Perth 10:00 example →Checking which side of a home faces the morning or afternoon Sun? Check the Sun path over your house by address, then compare the bearings with your walls and windows. Enter the address and date in that tool; this example's inputs are not carried over.
Independent angular check
The canonical Golden, Colorado case compares external expected azimuth and altitude with the same production function used for the selected-time result above. The allowed absolute difference is 0.5°.
Tolerance: ±0.5°
| Angle | External reference | Solar Path Tracker | Absolute difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azimuth | 194.34024° | 193.99000° | 0.35024° |
| Altitude | 39.88838° | 39.95000° | 0.06162° |
Source: NREL Solar Position Algorithm (SPA) · snapshot checked 2026-08-24. Published SPA example used as an independent angular reference. NREL does not endorse Solar Path Tracker.
Interpretation
Solar Path Tracker reports azimuth clockwise from true north. This makes the value directly comparable with a compass bearing and helps identify whether light approaches from the east, north, west, or a direction between them.
Direction changes continuously throughout the day, so always pair the bearing with the selected local time.
Altitude, also called elevation, is the Sun’s angle above or below the horizon. A low positive value produces long shadows and shallow light, while a higher value places the Sun more directly overhead. Negative values mean the Sun is below the astronomical horizon.
The 24-hour curve reveals how quickly the solar angle changes around the time you selected.
These angles support early daylight research, facade observations, photography planning, and orientation checks. They do not calculate roof suitability, panel yield, structural constraints, glare compliance, or professional design outcomes.
Use qualified site data and professional analysis for consequential engineering or installation decisions.
Questions
Sun position combines azimuth, the compass bearing around the horizon, with altitude or elevation, the angle above or below the horizon, at a particular place, date, and local time.
Enter a location, date, and local time. The calculator reports the Sun’s azimuth and altitude for that instant, then shows the daily angle curve for the same location and date.
In this calculator, altitude and elevation refer to the same solar angle above or below the astronomical horizon. Positive values are above the horizon and negative values are below it.
Azimuth is the Sun’s compass bearing measured clockwise from north: 0 degrees is north, 90 east, 180 south, and 270 west.
No. Panel yield and tilt require additional assumptions about equipment, shading, roof geometry, losses, and energy objectives. This tool reports solar position only.