The apparent movement of the Sun is known as the annual solar cycle. This cycle sees the Sun move from the winter solstice in December to the summer solstice in June, and then back to the winter solstice again. During this cycle, the Sun appears to rise in the east and set in the west, tracing out a path in the sky known as the ecliptic. As the Earth orbits the Sun, this path changes slightly each day, resulting in the Sun appearing to move across the sky.