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Q: Astronomy ( Answered,   0 Comments )
Question  
Subject: Astronomy
Category: Science > Astronomy
Asked by: larryk-ga
List Price: $2.50
Posted: 17 Jan 2003 13:03 PST
Expires: 16 Feb 2003 13:03 PST
Question ID: 144866
When is the Sun's path in the sky highest for equatorial regions?
Answer  
Subject: Re: Astronomy
Answered By: justaskscott-ga on 17 Jan 2003 14:45 PST
 
Hello larryk-ga,

The sun's path in the sky is highest for the equator on the two
equinoxes -- the vernal equinox in March (varying from March 20 to 21
over the years) and the autumnal equinox in September (varying from
September 22 to 24).  On those days, the sun passes directly overhead
at the equator.  (If you move a little north of the equator, the
highest path would come later in March and earlier in September, since
the sun is further north in the sky at those times.  If you move a
little south, the highest path would come earlier in March and later
in September.)

"Planetarium Program part I for The Sun in Time"
Solar Physics
Science Directorate, Marshall Space Flight Center
http://science.msfc.nasa.gov/ssl/pad/solar/suntime/talk1.stm

"Topic 2: Positional Astronomy"
PHYS134 Astronomy Fundamentals
Astrophysics Research Institute
http://www.astro.livjm.ac.uk/courses/phys134/position/

"Why do the dates of the equinoxes vary from year to year?"
ScienceNet
http://www.sciencenet.org.uk/database/Physics/9610/p00515d.html

I hope that this information is helpful.

- justaskscott-ga


I used the various combinations of the following search terms on
Google:

equinox
equinoxes
equator
sun
path
zenith
overhead
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