1. What is Solar Azimuth?

Solar azimuth is the compass direction from which the sunlight is coming. It's measured in degrees clockwise from true north and helps determine the sun's position in the sky at a specific time and location.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the solar azimuth equation:

Where:

• \( \text{Hour Angle} \) — Angular distance of the sun east or west of the local meridian (degrees)
• \( \text{Declination} \) — Angular distance of the sun north or south of the celestial equator (degrees)
• \( \text{Altitude} \) — Sun's angular height above the horizon (degrees)

Explanation: The equation calculates the sun's compass direction based on its position relative to the observer's location and time.

3. Importance of Solar Azimuth Calculation

Details: Solar azimuth is crucial for solar panel positioning, architectural design, photography, and various astronomical applications. It helps optimize solar energy collection throughout the day.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter hour angle, declination, and altitude values in degrees. All values must be valid numerical inputs. The calculator handles the trigonometric calculations automatically.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the range of solar azimuth values?
A: Azimuth ranges from 0° to 360°, with 0° being north, 90° east, 180° south, and 270° west.

Q2: How does solar azimuth change throughout the day?
A: The azimuth changes continuously as the sun moves across the sky, starting in the east at sunrise and ending in the west at sunset.

Q3: What affects solar azimuth values?
A: Azimuth depends on location (latitude), time of day, and date (season).

Q4: How is this different from solar elevation?
A: Elevation measures how high the sun is in the sky (angle above horizon), while azimuth measures its compass direction.

Q5: When is solar azimuth most important?
A: Critical for solar energy systems, building design (for shading), and outdoor photography lighting.