Calculating sunrise/sunset times

  • Thread starter Thread starter ScienceMan
  • Start date Start date
AI Thread Summary
To calculate sunrise and sunset times at a specific latitude and longitude, mathematical equations and algorithms can be utilized. The sunrise equation, as referenced, provides a method for determining the angle at which the sun rises or sets based on declination and latitude. Petter Duffett-Smith's book, "Practical Astronomy With Your Calculator," offers algorithms for these calculations, while Jean Meeus has also published several works on astronomical calculations. These resources can help in understanding the necessary formulas and methods for accurate time determination. Utilizing these references will enable effective calculation of sunrise and sunset times for any given day of the year.
ScienceMan
Messages
12
Reaction score
1
I'm not sure if this is in the right forum but I assume someone in charge can move move it if it's not. Anyway, is there an equation or algorithm or something I can use to calculate the sunrise/sunset times at a given latitude/longitude on a given day of the year (or possibly something that would give me declination so I can put zero in and solve)? I know the basics of how it works (more extreme day lengths around the solstices and at higher latitudes and the sun not rising/setting at particularly high latitudes around the solstices, etc.) but I was wondering if there was a mathematical way to figure it out. I'm also aware that there are other things that go into it but I just need what I mentioned for my purposes.
 
Earth sciences news on Phys.org
While this is going, I can give this equation which tells where ( angle ) the Sun rises ( or sets ), north or south of due East ( or west).
sin D = cos L sin ( ANGLE )
D= declination L=latitude
Now we have the when and where.
 
Petter Duffett-Smith wrote a book, Practical Astronomy With Your Calculator which includes algorithms for calculating sunrise and sunset, and many other astronomical events. A later version with co-author Jonathan Zwart includes instructions on using spreadsheets to calculate events. I used the former version several decades ago to write programs in Basic. It was entertaining then, archaic today, but the logic is the same.
 
Rob Saunders said:
Petter Duffett-Smith wrote a book, Practical Astronomy With Your Calculator

Or look up the works of Jean Meeus. He's written several books on astronomical calculation.
 
We have little shade but plenty of wind on my property. The upshot of this is that I have to be judicious in how/where I put up shade-creating barriers in various places around my property to maximise shade without unduly large windage. My property is an irregular polygon and not aligned with the cardinal axes, so it is not easy to tell where the shade will be at a given time. For example, I have put up an umbrella next to our pool, but it can only shade the southish-side of the pool, and...
Thread 'The Secrets of Prof. Verschure's Rosetta Stones'
(Edit: since the thread title was changed, this first sentence is too cryptic: the original title referred to a Tool song....) Besides being a favorite song by a favorite band, the thread title is a straightforward play on words. This summer, as a present to myself for being promoted, I purchased a collection of thin sections that I believe comprise the research materials of Prof. Rob Verschure, who at the time was faculty in the Geological Institute in Amsterdam. What changed this...
These last days, there is a seemingly endless cluster of rather powerful earthquakes close to the islands of Santorini, Amorgos, Anafi, and Ios. Remember, this is a highly volcanically active region, Santorini especially being famous for the supervolcanic eruption which is conjectured to have led to the decline of the Minoan civilization: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minoan_eruption To grasp the scale of what is happening, between the 26th of January and the 9th of February, 12000...

Similar threads

Back
Top