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What is altitude of sun below the horizon at noon on equinoxes and solstices?
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
The eastern horizon. Note: The sun does not rise due east, and the specific location changes throughout the year. The furthest south (on the eastern horizon) the sun rises is at the winter solstice (in the northern hemisphere), and vice versa.
Wiki User
∙ 10y ago
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoIn most places of the Earth. at noon the Sun would be ABOVE the horizon, not below. The altitude varies, depending on your latitude. At the equinox, the altitude is (90 - latitude) degrees. At one solstice, it is (90 - latitude + 23.5) degrees, at the other solstice, (90 - latitude - 23.5) degrees.
Wiki User
∙ 15y agoYou could be out at noon on the date of the equinox with a sextant, and measure it yourself. That would allow you to calculate your latitude.
Or, if you already know your latitude, you can work backwards to calculate the altitude angle of the Sun. Your latitude + the altitude angle of the Sun on the date of the equinox equals 90 degrees.
You can look up the Sun's "celestial latitude", or "declination", from a nautical almanac for any date.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoThe altitude - the angle above the horizon - of the Sun at the vernal equinox depends on the time and on your latitude.
If you were right on the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere, or right on the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere, then at around noon the Sun would be directly overhead.
Of course, if you were at the north or south poles, then the altitude of the Sun would be 23.5 degrees all day long; the Sun would make a complete circle around the sky, and would then begin to set. (The rising and setting would each take three months!)
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoGenerally, to the east. Depending on your latitude and the date, the Sun may rise a little north of east or a little south of east, but always in an easterly direction.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoThe sun rises due east on the horizon at the spring equinox.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoThe sun is directly over the equator at the moments of the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, but those moments are not necessarily at noon where you are.
Wiki User
∙ 15y agoAll celestial bodies set on the western horizon. In polar regions, the body may set closer to north or south than west, but there is always a westerly component to the direction.l
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoon earth, the eastern
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoDue east
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What is the altitude of Polaris above the horizon at the tropic of Capricorn?
it's 23 degrees below the horizon; you won't see it.
What is hc in astronomy?
Hc = Calculated altitude. Above the horizon is positive, below the horizon is negative. The range is from - 90º in the nadir to + 90º in the zenith
What is the altitude of Polaris on a clear night?
The altitude doesn't depend much on whether the night is clear.If you live in the northern hemisphere, the altitude of Polaris above the horizon will APPROXIMATELY be equal to your latitude. If you live in the southern hemisphere, Polaris will be BELOW the horizon, as many degrees as you are south of the equator.
When is the altitude of the sun highest?
The simple answer is that the Sun is at its highest at noon, 12 o'clock midday. A definition of "noon" is when the Sun is highest in the sky. There are complications because of the Earth's elliptical orbit and tilted axis. So, the exact time when the Sun reaches its highest point varies a bit during the year. Obviously, time zones and "daylight saving" have effects too.
Why is the amount of daylight slightly more than twelve hours at the equinoxes?
This can be explained geometrically. Consider the Sun's apparent path in the sky. If (for example) you live north of the equator, in winter more than half of this path is below the horizon - thus, the night is longer than the day. In summer it's the other way round - more than half of this path is above the horizon. At the equinoxes (approximately March 21, and September 23), half of this apparent path is above the horizon, and half is below the horizon. Please note that this is only approximate; due to the diameter of the Sun, combined with atmospheric refraction, at the exact day of the equinox the day is slightly longer than 12 hours.
How long does a season last?
91 and a fraction days. The dividing points are the two solstices and two equinoxes. You can see the precise dates of the equinoxes and solstices on the "Earth's Seasons" web site at the US Naval Observatory, at the link below.
Why the dates of the solstices and equinoxes vary?
This is not a short answer question. I will provide the equinox and the solstice article below so you can get your answer straight in the related links box below.
Is Altitude defined as the distance in degrees of a star below the horizon?
Almost . . ."Altitude" is the apparent angle of the object above the horizon.
Altitude is defined as the distance in degrees of a star below the horizon?
False.
Altitude is defined as the distance in degrees of a star below the horizon.?
false
What is the altitude of Polaris above the horizon at the tropic of Capricorn?
it's 23 degrees below the horizon; you won't see it.
What is hc in astronomy?
Hc = Calculated altitude. Above the horizon is positive, below the horizon is negative. The range is from - 90º in the nadir to + 90º in the zenith
What are some dates of the event of an solstice and an equinox?
The solstices are generally on June 21 and December 21; the equinoxes are usually on March 21 and September 21. These dates can vary a day or two either way, depending on the cycle of leap years. The U.S. Naval Observatory publishes a web page called "Earth's Seasons" which lists the dates and times of the solstices and equinoxes for each year, down to the minute. See the link below.
What is the altitude of Polaris on a clear night?
The altitude doesn't depend much on whether the night is clear.If you live in the northern hemisphere, the altitude of Polaris above the horizon will APPROXIMATELY be equal to your latitude. If you live in the southern hemisphere, Polaris will be BELOW the horizon, as many degrees as you are south of the equator.
What are the dates for each solstice?
The solstices are generally on June 21 and December 21 each year, but these dates can vary a day either way depending on the cycle of leap years. You can see the precise time of the solstices and equinoxes each year on the U.S. Naval Observatory's web page "Earth's Seasons", at the link below.
Flying to China over the north pole I saw the moon actually below the horizon before it rose above the horizon in to the sky how is this possible?
The earth is CURVED so at high altitude there are two horizons.
When is the altitude of the sun highest?
The simple answer is that the Sun is at its highest at noon, 12 o'clock midday. A definition of "noon" is when the Sun is highest in the sky. There are complications because of the Earth's elliptical orbit and tilted axis. So, the exact time when the Sun reaches its highest point varies a bit during the year. Obviously, time zones and "daylight saving" have effects too.
