Sun path · Seattle
Sunrise & sunset direction in Seattle
See which way the sun rises and sets in Seattle, with the full arc showing elevation against compass direction. Dashed curves show the June solstice, equinox and December solstice for comparison.
Drag the timeline to see where the sun will be in the sky.
Sun path in Seattle on Wed, Sep 23
The sun rises at 89°, E and sets at 270°, W in Seattle, reaching a peak elevation of 42° at solar noon. Day length is 12h 7m, measured from sunrise to sunset.
The chart above plots the full arc of the sun across the sky. The horizontal axis is compass direction, the vertical axis is elevation. Dashed reference curves show the June solstice, equinox and December solstice so you can see how the arc shifts through the year.
Use the scrubber to walk through the day and read the sun's compass bearing and elevation at any moment. For photography, check which direction light will come from at your planned shoot time and whether your subject will be front-lit, side-lit or backlit.
Sunrise and sunset direction in Seattle
Bearings are measured clockwise from north and calculated from the sun path for this location.
| Date | Sun rises | Sun sets |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 89°, E | 270°, W |
| June solstice | 53°, NE | 307°, NW |
| Equinox | 89°, E | 271°, W |
| December solstice | 125°, SE | 235°, SW |
Shooting the light in Seattle
Seattle’s summers are a photographer’s reward for the rest of the year: nearly sixteen hours of daylight around the solstice, with golden hour starting after 8:30 p.m. and long, slow twilights over Puget Sound. From October to March the city runs gray and soft - flat for skylines, excellent for forests, markets and rain-slicked street work.
The wildcard is Mount Rainier. On clear days ("the mountain is out"), it anchors skyline shots from the north and catches pink alpenglow after the city has already fallen into shadow.
Where photographers go
Kerry Park
The postcard view: downtown, the Space Needle and - on clear days - Rainier behind, best in evening sidelight and blue hour.
Gas Works Park
The skyline across Lake Union, with rusted ironwork foregrounds; sunset falls to the right of frame.
Alki Beach & Duwamish Head
The skyline across Elliott Bay at dawn, and Puget Sound sunsets from West Seattle’s western shore.
Discovery Park
West Point Lighthouse under a Sound sunset, with the Olympics on the horizon.
Frequently asked
- Which way does the sun rise in Seattle?
- On Wed, Sep 23, the sun rises in Seattle at 89°, E (east).
- Which direction does the sun set in Seattle in December?
- At the December solstice, the sun sets in Seattle at 235°, SW (southwest).
- How high does the sun get in Seattle?
- On Wed, Sep 23, the sun reaches about 42° above the horizon at its highest point in Seattle.
