1-on Dec 21, what is the noon sun angle for someone at 12 degree 15' S.Lat? ( give the answer to the nearest minut.)
2- In what horizon is the noon sun for this person?
To determine the noon sun angle and the horizon at which the noon sun appears for someone at a specific latitude, we can use some basic knowledge about the Earth's tilt and the concept of declination.
1. Calculating the Noon Sun Angle:
The noon sun angle is the angle between the sun and a vertical line at the location (zenith) at noon. To calculate it, we need to know the declination of the sun for the given date and the latitude of the observer.
a) Declination:
The declination is the angular distance between the sun and the celestial equator (the Earth's equator extended into space). It varies during the year due to the tilt of the Earth's axis. On December 21st, the sun's declination is at its southernmost point, at approximately -23.5 degrees.
b) Latitude:
For this question, the given latitude is 12 degrees 15 minutes south (-12° 15').
c) Calculation:
To find the noon sun angle, we need to subtract the observer's latitude from the sun's declination.
-23.5 degrees (Declination) - (-12.25 degrees) (Latitude) = -11.25 degrees
Therefore, the noon sun angle is approximately -11.25 degrees.
2. Determining the Horizon:
The horizon at which the noon sun appears depends on the latitude of the observer and the declination of the sun.
a) Latitude:
The given latitude is 12 degrees 15 minutes south (-12° 15').
b) Calculation:
To determine the horizon, compare the observer's latitude with the sun's declination:
-23.5 degrees (Declination) < -12.25 degrees (Latitude)
Since the sun's declination is less than the observer's latitude, the noon sun will be in the northern hemisphere for this person.
Therefore, for someone at 12 degrees 15 minutes south latitude on December 21st, the noon sun angle is approximately -11.25 degrees, and the noon sun appears in the northern hemisphere.