1. What is Solar Azimuth?

Solar azimuth is the compass direction from which sunlight is coming, measured in degrees clockwise from true north. It is a crucial parameter in solar energy systems, architecture, and navigation, helping determine the sun's position throughout the day.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the solar azimuth equation:

Where:

• \( H \) — Hour angle (degrees)
• \( \varphi \) — Latitude (degrees)
• \( \delta \) — Solar declination (degrees)
• \( \atan2 \) — Two-argument arctangent function

Explanation: This spherical trigonometry equation computes the sun's compass direction based on time (hour angle), location (latitude), and seasonal position (declination).

3. Importance of Solar Path Calculation

Details: Accurate solar path calculation is essential for solar panel orientation, building design for natural lighting, agricultural planning, and understanding seasonal sunlight patterns for various applications.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter hour angle in degrees (0° at solar noon, negative before noon, positive after noon), latitude between -90° and 90°, and solar declination between -23.5° and 23.5°.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is hour angle?
A: Hour angle measures time from solar noon, where 15° equals one hour. Negative values represent morning, positive values represent afternoon.

Q2: How is solar declination determined?
A: Solar declination varies throughout the year from -23.5° (December solstice) to +23.5° (June solstice), representing the sun's latitude position above the equator.

Q3: What are typical azimuth values?
A: Azimuth ranges from 0° (due north) to 360°, with 90° east, 180° south, and 270° west. Sunrise typically occurs around 60-120°, sunset around 240-300°.

Q4: Why use atan2 instead of atan?
A: The atan2 function handles all four quadrants correctly and avoids division by zero issues, providing accurate results across the full 360° range.

Q5: How accurate is this calculation?
A: This provides good accuracy for most practical purposes, though atmospheric refraction and other factors may cause minor deviations from actual observed positions.