What City In The World Sees The Sun First?

Before the United States rings in the New Year at midnight on Jan. 1, those living in eastern parts of the world are well into 2020. It's a basic rule of thumb: The sun rises in the East and sets in the West. So when the ball drops in America, people in Europe are heading out to work thanks to the rotation of the earth. So, who welcomed the New Year first?

According to NASA, as the earth rotates clockwise, the sunlight reaches different parts of the earth at different times. New Zealand's eastern-most city, Gisborne, is the first to greet each new day. In Gisborne, around the coast to Opotiki and inland to Te Urewera National Park on the eastern cape is where you can witness the first sunrise. 

Tourists visiting New Zealand can catch the best views by heading to the top of Mt. Hikurangi in the eastern corner of New Zealand's North Island, it's one of the best sunrise spots around the world.