There are many situations when it’s useful to know the movements of the sun, which is why I was pleased to come across suncalc.net. Built on top of Google Maps, you type in an address and a date, and it shows you the track of the sun, from sunrise to sunset.

For example, the screenshot above shows the sun’s path in summer, in relation to our solar panels on the roof. (The yellow line is sunrise, the orange line sunset.)

This type of information can be used in many ways:

• Understanding the likely efficiency of any solar panels (providing a much better idea than the installers themselves are able to work out, in my experience).
• Determining where to place gardens.
• Impact of tall trees.
• Planning house modifications and extensions.

It’s a simple tool, but a useful one.