The question examined in this "Science 101" column was inspired by "Find Your School's Analemma" (in this issue). What causes the Sun's apparent position in the sky to trace a figure-eight pattern throughout one year? The analemma, or figure eight pattern that the Sun makes throughout the year, is due to two major factors. One is the fact that the Earth's path around the Sun is not circular, leading to problems when "correcting" from a sidereal to a solar day. The other is the fact that the Earth's axis is tilted relative to its plane of motion, leading to the apparent position of the Sun in the sky going from a high to a low point throughout the year.