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Winter Solstice



 
 
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  #1  
Old September 9th 03, 02:49 AM
scratch azazel
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Default Winter Solstice

Thanks to all who helped me with my last 2 questions. I have another
question but I don't know if it can be explained without a model or
diagram. If I live at latitude 23.5 degrees North what is the elevation
of the sun above the southern horizon at noon during the winter
solstice? I am able to answer some of the problems in the book but not
all.

Thanks in advance

  #2  
Old September 9th 03, 07:28 AM
Darrell
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In winter months, the Sun is constantly low in the south, even at noon. On
December 22, 2003, winter solstice, the Sun reaches its lowest position in
the sky where its declination on the celestial sphere is minus 23.5 degrees.
Think of the Earth's North Pole facing away from the Sun at 23.5 degrees,
where as the East side of the equator is tilted upward 23.5 degrees. The
answer to your question is below:

a. Since the North Pole is tilted away from the sun at 23.5 degrees in the
winter, then I think that the degree of the Sun from 23.5 deg N lat would
be -90 + 23.5 = 66.5 deg above the southern horizon.

b. Since you are on 23.5 deg N. lat, and the Earth is tilted 23.5 deg away
from the Sun, it could be 23.5 (location) + 23.5 (tilt) = 47 deg above the
southern horizon.

c. none of the above

I think it would be "b.", but please don't take my word for it, because I
just went through TheSky tutorial today and yesterday.

D-

"scratch azazel" wrote in message
...
Thanks to all who helped me with my last 2 questions. I have another
question but I don't know if it can be explained without a model or
diagram. If I live at latitude 23.5 degrees North what is the elevation
of the sun above the southern horizon at noon during the winter
solstice? I am able to answer some of the problems in the book but not
all.

Thanks in advance



  #3  
Old September 9th 03, 01:01 PM
Odysseus
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scratch azazel wrote:

Thanks to all who helped me with my last 2 questions. I have another
question but I don't know if it can be explained without a model or
diagram. If I live at latitude 23.5 degrees North what is the elevation
of the sun above the southern horizon at noon during the winter
solstice? I am able to answer some of the problems in the book but not
all.

At the (northern hemisphere's) winter solstice the sun is at its
southern extreme in declination, about 23.5°S. From a latitude of
23.5°N the equator crosses the meridian at an altitude of 90° - 23.5°
= 66.5°; on the winter solstice the noon sun will be 23.5° lower than
that, so it will reach 43° above the horizon. (From the same location
-- on the Tropic of Cancer -- the noon sun at the *summer* solstice
will be at the zenith, i.e. directly overhead.)

--
Odysseus
  #4  
Old September 9th 03, 06:36 PM
Bill Hennessy
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About 43 deg. at noon local apparent time.


 




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