The Wandering Sunset

Doesn't the sun always set due west on the horizon? Actually, the sun sets in the west only on two days of each year: at the vernal (spring) equinox and the autumnal (fall) equinox. Beginning at the vernal equinox on about March 21, the sun begins to set on the horizon farther north each day until the sunset occurs in the West North West (in the United States) on about June 21, the summer solstice. The sun then progresses back toward the south each day, passing due west on the horizon on about September 23 reaching West South West on about December 22, the winter solstice.