Where the sun sets from Williams, Arizona

of daylight of darkness
    Jun 21, 2026Jun 20, 2027
    Bearings are degrees clockwise from true north, for a level horizon. Hills or trees on the horizon make the sun disappear a little earlier and slightly farther south.

    Jun 21, 2026Dec 21Jun 20, 2027
    • Daylight in Williams
    • Darkness in Williams
    • Sunrise
    • Sunset
    • Sun at noon
    Williams' latitude in daylight in darkness

      Click or drag on the chart to pick a day. The left and right arrow keys step one day.

      time of day
      Jun 21, 2026Dec 21Jun 20, 2027

      Earth's orbit around the Sun

      Earth circles the Sun once a year while its axis keeps pointing the same way in space. The picture at the bottom left is the Earth from space view at the same moment: Earth seen from high above the north side of this orbit, with the Sun to the left.

      The Earth from space view at this moment
      Jun 21, 2026Dec 21Jun 20, 2027
      • The North Pole leans
      • Sun straight overhead at noon over
      • Season in the north
      • Season in the south

      Press Play to watch a year. The axis never turns: it leans toward the Sun in June and away from it in December because Earth has moved to the other side of the Sun.

      Earth's tilt and the pole star over 250,000 years

      Earth goes around the Sun each year with its axis pointing one way; over about 25,800 years that direction circles. Because the orbit is slightly oval, northern summer moves from the far point (today) to the near point, where summers get more sunlight and winters less.

      200,000 years ago50,000 years ahead
      • Tilt
      • Pole star
      Ring: one turn per 25,800 years. Dashed: today.
      North Pole points heretodaythe 25,800-year circle