For our purposes, it is convenient to assume that the earth is stationary and the sun is in motion around the earth. Figure V-1 lists the angle (declination) of the sun above (+) or below (-) the equator, on the twentieth of each month, as seen from the earth. From the Northern Hemisphere, you can see that the sun lingers at its highest position in the sky for three months during the summer, then moves very quickly through fall towards winter, where it appears low in the sky for another three months.