- #1
nobahar
- 482
- 2
Hello!
I have a question regarding the position of the sun in the sky.
Since it depends on where you are, I am thinking of the Northern hemisphere above the Tropic of Cancer. Say, Northern Europe, Canada, etc.
As the sun moves across the sky, at noon the sun is often referred to as being directly overhead (during certain times of the year). Indeed, it looks as though it is, and shadows seem to suggest that this is the case. However, this would require the suns rays to be perpendicular with the surface of the Earth in these regions. From my reading, I believe that this is never the case.
I ask this because I was reading about dancing bees: bees communicate where pollen is to there friends by dancing. They dance inside the hive on a vertical 'column'. The vertical upwards refers to the position of the sun, and if the bee dances at some angle, say x, to the left of this vertical, it indicates that the pollen is in the direction of angle x, left from the sun in the horizontal plane. In other words, a bee may go outside the hive and face in the direction of the sun. The sun may be up in the sky, not on the horizon, but a line could be drawn, vertically, from the sun onto the horizon, and the location of the pollen would be x degrees to the left of this line. I hope that makes sense.
Now, if the sun is 'directly above', the bee will not be able to establish a bearing. So I was wondering, is the sun ever going to be directly above? I don't think so. But can anyone help with this?
Many thanks!
I have a question regarding the position of the sun in the sky.
Since it depends on where you are, I am thinking of the Northern hemisphere above the Tropic of Cancer. Say, Northern Europe, Canada, etc.
As the sun moves across the sky, at noon the sun is often referred to as being directly overhead (during certain times of the year). Indeed, it looks as though it is, and shadows seem to suggest that this is the case. However, this would require the suns rays to be perpendicular with the surface of the Earth in these regions. From my reading, I believe that this is never the case.
I ask this because I was reading about dancing bees: bees communicate where pollen is to there friends by dancing. They dance inside the hive on a vertical 'column'. The vertical upwards refers to the position of the sun, and if the bee dances at some angle, say x, to the left of this vertical, it indicates that the pollen is in the direction of angle x, left from the sun in the horizontal plane. In other words, a bee may go outside the hive and face in the direction of the sun. The sun may be up in the sky, not on the horizon, but a line could be drawn, vertically, from the sun onto the horizon, and the location of the pollen would be x degrees to the left of this line. I hope that makes sense.
Now, if the sun is 'directly above', the bee will not be able to establish a bearing. So I was wondering, is the sun ever going to be directly above? I don't think so. But can anyone help with this?
Many thanks!
