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Topic: the sun isnt in the right spot (Read 929 times) previous topic - next topic

the sun isnt in the right spot

ok,, in my state we observe daylight savings time.
We spring forward one hour in the spring, then fall back one hour in the fall (it allows more afternoon family outdoor fun in the summer), or crop gathering ect.

so,,

my EST now is 13:13 hours.
my real time is 12:13 hours.

the sun should be almost dead ehead over where "SOUTH" is.

today the sun has not even made it to the South mark yet.

**also,, today it is the highest in the sky i can ever remember seeing it.

the sun isnt in the right spot

Reply #1 –
The problem is with the time zone, not with the sun or DST. ;)

It's very rare when the sun is exactly (or nearly) overhead, from your zenith, at noon in your time zone. If it is, then it's likely early spring or late fall.

The sun angle here at 41 degrees north is now at 67º. Our highest is 72º around June 23rd. Our lowest is 26º around December 19th.
The sun appears to move northward and southward in the sky very rapidly in the spring and fall, respectively, and is more "stable" in summer and winter.
Basically we have about one more month for the sun to move northward 3 degrees. So it's almost as northward as it ever gets in our neck of the woods.

If you're interested in this sort of thing, there are good phone apps like Star Chart or Star Walk that will give you solar and lunar information based on your location. I have Star Walk on the iPad and it's very good at visualizing things, and you can go back in forth in time to see things like full moons, angles of the sun and moon, as well as planet rising/setting.

The full moons are what are semi-perplexing me. We've been stuck in this period for several years where the highest full moon of the year is in winter, not in summer. I believe it takes something like 11 or 14 years for things to swing around to that. I can't remember the last summertime full moon that was high in the sky…it's been at least 5 years if not more.
 

the sun isnt in the right spot

Reply #2 –
the moon is unpredictable..
however,, after the sun sets in the west, the red planet is rising in the east.

you can for *very good* guesstimation use the position of mars just like it was the sun for telling time at night
when you go out tonight, you can see that just about midnight mars is high in the sky like the sun around noon.

not many people know this.

the sun isnt in the right spot

Reply #3 –
Right now, that is correct. But the earth's orbit is faster than Mars so that will change. That's why the word planet is Greek for "wanderer"--because they appear to move positions each night, over time.

Have you ever taken a peek at Jupiter or Saturn through a telescope? That's something you won't forget. Pretty amazing.

the sun isnt in the right spot

Reply #4 –
Quote from: EricCoolCats;433983
Have you ever taken a peek at Jupiter or Saturn through a telescope? That's something you won't forget. Pretty amazing.


Agreed. Everyone knows what Saturn and it's rings look like and what Jupiter and it's "spot" look like from pictures we have seen in books. But when you see these things for the first time live and in person, even if it is through a small beginners size telescope, it's pretty cool. Just like Eric said, it's an experience that you won't forget.
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