The sun is south of the equator from late September until late March.
Colombo's latitude is roughly 7 degrees northof the equator, so the sun
can never be directly overhead there in December. At its highest, at the
time of the March and September equinoxes, it would be 7° down from the
observer's zenith ... 83° above the southern horizon.
Between March 21 and roughly September 20, the sun proceeds from the
equator, to about 231/2 degrees north around June 20, and back to the
equator. So during that part of the year, it crosses 7° North latitude twice ...
once on its way north, and again on its way back toward the equator.
The sun's motion in latitude is more sinusoidal than linear, so I'm not sure that
I'm correctly calculating the dates on which it crosses a particular latitude. But
it looks to me that it would be at 7° North latitude on April 8 and September 2.
These would be the dates on which the sun would be nearest to overhead at
solar noon, for a person standing in Colombo ... whether or not he wears a hat.
Zenith
The northernmost latitude at which the sun can be directly overhead is around 23.44° north. That latitude is called the Tropic of Cancer, and the sun is directly over it at the moment of the June equinox.The southernmost latitude at which the sun can be directly overhead is around 23.44° south. That latitude is called the Tropic of Capricorn, and the sun is directly over it at the moment of the December equinox.
The star closest to the zenith depends on your location and the current time, as the location of stars in the sky changes throughout the night and with your position on Earth. The star that is currently at the zenith will be the one directly overhead in your local sky.
Amritsar, located in Punjab, does not experience the noon sun directly overhead due to its northern latitude, which is around 31.6 degrees north. The sun is directly overhead at the Tropic of Cancer (23.5 degrees north) during the summer solstice, but as one moves northward, the sun's zenith position shifts southward. As a result, in Amritsar, the sun is at an angle during noon, making it impossible for the sun to be directly overhead at any time of the year.
The sun is at the exact zenith at least once a year within the Tropics, specifically between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. This area is known as the tropics and it includes regions close to the Equator where the sun appears directly overhead at solar noon.
Zenith
The point directly overhead in the sky dome is called the zenith. It is the highest point in the celestial sphere, opposite to the nadir which is the point directly below one's feet. The zenith is an important reference point for astronomers and navigators.
its called the Zenith
The point directly overhead an observer is called the zenith. It is located at a 90-degree angle from the observer's position, directly in line with their vertical axis. Astronomically, the zenith is used as a reference point for celestial coordinates and observing objects in the sky.
The northernmost latitude at which the sun can be directly overhead is around 23.44° north. That latitude is called the Tropic of Cancer, and the sun is directly over it at the moment of the June equinox.The southernmost latitude at which the sun can be directly overhead is around 23.44° south. That latitude is called the Tropic of Capricorn, and the sun is directly over it at the moment of the December equinox.
That lies on 23.5 degree latitude, at which the Sun may appear directly overhead at its zenith.
If the Sun passes through your zenith on December 21, you would be located near the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere. This date marks the December solstice, when the Sun reaches its southernmost point in the sky, making it directly overhead at midday for locations within the tropics.
The star closest to the zenith depends on your location and the current time, as the location of stars in the sky changes throughout the night and with your position on Earth. The star that is currently at the zenith will be the one directly overhead in your local sky.
The tropics are the geographic region of the earth where the sun reaches a point directly overhead, the zenith, at least once during the solar year.
When the Sun is directly overhead (at zenith) the point below it is called nadir.
Yes. Most places in the Hawaiian Islands will experience the noon Sun "straight overhead" twice each year. In fact, the phrase "Lahaina Noon" is sometimes used in the Islands to refer to those days on which the Sun reaches the zenith.
The zenith is the point directly overhead in the sky, while the horizon is the line where the sky appears to meet the Earth. The zenith is the highest point above an observer, while the horizon represents the farthest visible point on the Earth's surface.