How do I use Sun Path for a property?

Sun Path in Raghdan helps you understand how the sun moves around a property's location, through the day and across the year. It shows the property's facade orientation, sunrise and sunset times, and the direction of the shadow, interactively on the map.

Where can I find Sun Path?

1. 1
   Open the property page.
2. 2
   In the row of buttons above the property photos, tap the sun icon labelled "Sun Path".
3. 3
   You need to be signed in to your Raghdan account to use the feature.
4. 4
   The Sun Path window opens over the property page, without leaving it.

What does the map show?

• The property sits at the centre, and its icon changes with its type: land, villa, apartment, building, warehouse and others.
• The orange path traces the sun's movement from sunrise to sunset on the selected day.
• The "Sunrise" marker shows where the sun rises, and the "Sunset" marker shows where it sets.
• The sun icon shows where the sun is at the selected time.
• A fixed arrow at the property shows the facade orientation. It appears only when facade data is available.
• A text chip names that orientation, for example: "Property Facing: North-West".
• A dark shadow moves with the sun and indicates the shadow's direction approximately.

How do I change the time?

There are two ways, and both drive the same selected time:

• Move the time slider below the map.
• Or drag the sun icon directly along its path.

The sun icon never leaves the valid path between sunrise and sunset, however far you drag it, and the slider follows it automatically — and the other way round.

Changing the time updates, automatically:

• the selected time
• the sun's direction
• the sun's altitude
• the shadow's direction

What is the difference between Today and Year?

Today

Shows the sun's path for the selected day, from sunrise to sunset.

Year

Lets you move through the days of the year and watch the path change, which makes the seasonal differences clear: where the sun rises and sets, and how long the day lasts. Daylight length is shown under the date slider.

What does Property Facing mean?

It is the geographic direction the property's facade looks towards, taken from the property's own data: North, South, East, West, North-West and so on.

When that data is clear, a fixed arrow at the property points in that direction, with a chip naming it.

If the facade direction is not clearly determined — a property fronting several streets, or data we cannot resolve confidently — neither the arrow nor the chip is shown, and the rest of the feature keeps working. We do not display a facade direction we have not verified.

What does Sun Shadow mean?

The dark area extends from the property in the direction opposite the sun, and moves with it through the day: long near sunrise and sunset, short near midday.

Normal map and Satellite view

A small button at the top of the map switches between the normal map and satellite imagery. The switch is instant, needs no page reload, and keeps the selected time and the sun's path exactly as they were.

Important notes

• The sun's direction is calculated from the property's coordinates and the selected date and time.
• Facade orientation depends on the data available for the property, and is hidden when it is not determined.
• Neighbouring buildings, trees and other obstructions are not modelled as real shadows.
• The feature is an aid for understanding a property's orientation, not an engineering solar study.

Sun Path gives you a quick read on a property's orientation and how the sun travels around it, before a visit or a decision. Seeing the property in person remains the real test of daylight and shade.