1. What is Solar Altitude?

Solar altitude is the angle between the sun and the horizontal plane at a specific location and time. It represents how high the sun appears in the sky and is crucial for various applications including solar energy, architecture, and navigation.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the solar altitude equation:

Where:

• \( \phi \) — Latitude of the location in degrees
• \( \delta \) — Solar declination angle in degrees
• \( H \) — Hour angle in degrees

Explanation: This formula calculates the sun's elevation above the horizon based on geographic position and time parameters.

3. Importance of Solar Altitude Calculation

Details: Solar altitude is essential for solar panel positioning, building design for optimal sunlight, agricultural planning, photography, and understanding seasonal variations in sunlight.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter latitude between -90° and 90°, declination between -23.45° and 23.45°, and hour angle between -180° and 180°. All values must be within their respective ranges.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is solar declination?
A: Solar declination is the angle between the rays of the sun and the plane of the Earth's equator, varying throughout the year due to Earth's axial tilt.

Q2: How is hour angle calculated?
A: Hour angle = 15° × (solar time - 12), where solar time is the local time adjusted for the equation of time and longitude.

Q3: What are typical solar altitude values?
A: Solar altitude ranges from 0° (sunrise/sunset) to 90° (directly overhead at equator during equinox). Maximum values depend on latitude and season.

Q4: Why is solar altitude important for solar panels?
A: Optimal solar panel tilt angle is often set equal to the location's latitude to maximize annual energy production.

Q5: How does solar altitude change throughout the day?
A: Solar altitude increases from sunrise to solar noon (maximum), then decreases until sunset, following a sinusoidal pattern.