How to use this tool
- Place the pin. Search for a place, use your location, or tap anywhere on the map.
- Set the date and time. Use the date control and drag the time slider, or press play to watch the sun move through the day. “Now” jumps back to the current time.
- Read the map. The orange curve is the sun’s path for the day. The sun symbol shows its position at the selected time, and the dark line from the pin shows the direction of shadows.
- Switch views. “3D” tilts the map and shows buildings and terrain with approximate shadows. “Sky” shows the sun’s paths as arcs over a 3D ground plane.
Reading the sun path on the map
The drawing works like a sun path diagram laid over the map:
- The circle is the horizon. Directions are map directions, with north at the top.
- A point on the orange path at the edge of the circle means the sun is on the horizon; the closer to the centre, the higher the sun.
- The orange and yellow lines point to where the sun rises and sets on the selected day.
- The dashed curves show the extremes: the June solstice path (yellow) and the December solstice path (blue). Every other day lies between them.
Because the drawing sits on the real map, you can see directly which buildings, trees or mountains lie in the sun’s direction at any time of day. The guide how to read a sun path diagram explains the same diagram in more detail.
What the numbers mean
- Azimuth: the compass direction of the sun (see azimuth and elevation).
- Elevation: the height of the sun above the horizon, including atmospheric refraction.
- Shadow length: how long the shadow of an object is compared with its height. At 45° elevation a shadow is as long as the object; at 20°, almost three times as long.
Uses
- Homes and gardens: check when a terrace, window or garden bed gets sun, and from which side.
- Photography: find where the sun will rise or set relative to a landmark.
- Solar panels and shading: see what could block the sun at different times of year.
- Outdoors: plan a hike so that you walk in the shade, or find the sunny side of a valley.
For hours of direct sun on a particular wall, balcony or garden spot, use the house, balcony and garden tools.
Last updated September 23, 2026