Solar elevation angle
Okay kiddo, I'm going to explain to you what the solar elevation angle is.
You know when the sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening? Well, the solar elevation angle is basically how high or low the sun is in the sky at any given time.
Let me show you something - take your hand and hold it straight in front of you. Your fingers represent the horizon, and your hand is the sky. When the sun rises in the morning, it starts at the bottom of your hand, right on the horizon. As the day goes on, the sun moves up your hand, getting higher and higher in the sky.
Now, imagine you're standing outside and looking up at the sun. Depending on the time of day and where you are in the world, the sun will be at different heights in the sky. The angle between the horizon and the sun is what we call the solar elevation angle.
So, if the sun is directly overhead, the solar elevation angle is 90 degrees - that means it's as high up as it can be. But if the sun is just peeking over the horizon, the solar elevation angle might only be a few degrees.
Why is this important? Well, the solar elevation angle can affect lots of things - how much energy we get from solar panels, how much shade we get from buildings and trees, and even how much vitamin D we can absorb from the sun! So it's good to know what the solar elevation angle is at any given time.
Does that make sense, kiddo?
You know when the sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening? Well, the solar elevation angle is basically how high or low the sun is in the sky at any given time.
Let me show you something - take your hand and hold it straight in front of you. Your fingers represent the horizon, and your hand is the sky. When the sun rises in the morning, it starts at the bottom of your hand, right on the horizon. As the day goes on, the sun moves up your hand, getting higher and higher in the sky.
Now, imagine you're standing outside and looking up at the sun. Depending on the time of day and where you are in the world, the sun will be at different heights in the sky. The angle between the horizon and the sun is what we call the solar elevation angle.
So, if the sun is directly overhead, the solar elevation angle is 90 degrees - that means it's as high up as it can be. But if the sun is just peeking over the horizon, the solar elevation angle might only be a few degrees.
Why is this important? Well, the solar elevation angle can affect lots of things - how much energy we get from solar panels, how much shade we get from buildings and trees, and even how much vitamin D we can absorb from the sun! So it's good to know what the solar elevation angle is at any given time.
Does that make sense, kiddo?
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