For example, in the northern hemisphere, the sun reaches its maximum altitude at 180°S. Likewise, the sun reaches its minimum height during the night at 0°N. In the southern hemisphere, it’s flipped, with the sun reaching its maximum altitude at 0°N and reaching its minimum altitude at 180°S during the night. What’s the cause for this flip?
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The directions are approximate and not exact. The shift a bit during the year the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analemma](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analemma) is a plot of this.
It also just applies for all of the year for areas closer to a pole than the tropics. Between the tropic, the sun higher point can both be directly north, directly south, and directly above you depending on the time of year.
The tropics the area where the sun can be directly you. It extends proximally 23.5 degrees north and south of the equator.
The flip happens when you pass the point where the sun is directly above you at its higher point. It is just like if you start looking directly south at a streetlight and then walk below it. When you are on the other side of the street light you need to look directly north to see it. When you directly blow it it is straight up
Imagine you’re facing an archway. Its highest point is in front of you. You walk through the arch and now its highest point is behind you. It’s no more mysterious than that.
Imagine you’re facing an archway. Its highest point is in front of you. You walk through the arch and now its highest point is behind you. It’s no more mysterious than that.
If you live above the tropic of cancer, the Sun will always peak in the southern sky. (Latitude 23.5°N)
If you live below the tropic of Capricorn, the Sun will always peak in the northern sky. (Latitude 23.5°S)
If you live between the tropics, there will be a day where the sun peaks directly overhead. If you live at either of the tropics themselves, the Sun will peak overhead on the summer solstice. In June at the tropic of cancer, and in December at the tropic of Capricorn.
If you live at the equator, the Sun will peak directly overhead on both equinoxes. From March to September, the Sun will peak in the southern sky, and from September to March, it will peak in the Northern sky
For every other location between the tropics, there are 2 days the sun peaks on either side of the summer solstice, and they will be closer together. If you are north of the equator, there are more days the sun peaks in the south, and if you are south of the equator, there are more days where the sun peaks in the north.
TL; DR There will always be a line on Latitude on Earth where the sun will be directly overhead. If you’re north of that line, the Sun will peak in the south. If you are south of that line, the Sun will peak in the north.
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