What is altitude of sun below the horizon at noon on equinoxes and solstices?

Answer 1

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.

Answer 2

At noon on the equinoxes, the altitude of the sun is 90 degrees minus the observer's latitude. At noon on the solstices, the altitude of the sun is 90 degrees minus the sum of the observer's latitude and the tilt of the Earth's axis.

Answer 3

In 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.

Answer 4

You 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.

Answer 5

The 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!)

Answer 6

Generally, 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.

Answer 7

The sun rises due east on the horizon at the spring equinox.

Answer 8

The 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.

Answer 9

All 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

Answer 10

on earth, the eastern