Approximate the number of hours of daylight for any location that is 66°30' north latitude for the following dates:

(a) Summer solstice (i = 23.5°)

(b) Vernal equinox (i = 0°)

(c) July 4(1 = 22°48')

(d) The number of hours of daylight on the winter solstice may be found by computing the number of hours of daylight on the summer solstice and subtracting this result from 24 hours, due to the symmetry of the orbital path of Earth around the Sun. Compute the number of hours of daylight for this location on the winter solstice. What do you conclude about daylight for a location at 66°30' north latitude?

Use the following discussion. The formula

can be used to approximate the number of hours of daylight D when the declination of the Sun is i° at a location θ° north latitude for any date between the vernal equinox and autumnal equinox. The declination of the Sun is defined as the angle i between the equatorial plane and any ray of light from the Sun. The latitude of a location

is the angle between the Equator and the location on the surface of Earth, with the vertex of the angle located at the center of Earth. See the figure. To use the formula, cos^-1(tan i tan θ) must be expressed in radians.

Transcribed Image Text:

N V Pole I Pole Sun 0° North latitude Equator Equator