Course / Latitude from the noon Sun

Part II · First sights · Page 1 of 3

Watch the Sun cross your meridian

Dec 9° SSun overheadz 44°22.4' = 2,662 nmYouN
The Sun's ground position moves west at 15° an hour. Your meridian lights up when it crosses. Drag "You" to move.
10°30°50°−4 h−3 h−2 h−1 hnoon+1 h+2 h+3 h+4 hAltitude of the SunHighest 51°14.0' at 21h05m42s UTWithin 1′ of the top for ±5 min
Tap the curve to move the Sun. The top is flat: the altitude hardly changes for several minutes either side of noon.
19h35m42s UT, 90 min before noon
N 30°00.0'
W 140°00.0'
October 15, 2026

The Sun right now

Altitude
45°37.6'
Bearing
147°
Declination
S 08°44.5'
Hour angle from your meridian
22°30.2' east
Zenith distance z
44°22.4'

Latitude from the noon Sun

At noon the Sun bears due south, so z lies along your meridian and points north from the Sun's ground position to you.

z = 90° − 51°14.0' = 38°46.0' N

L = S 08°46.0' + 38°46.0' = N 30°00.0'

Away from noon the Sun is off your meridian, so z no longer points north–south and this sum stops working. Move the Sun to noon.

Show the altitudes as a table
Time (UT)From noonAltitude
17h05m42s−240 min20°37.5'
17h35m42s−210 min26°26.5'
18h05m42s−180 min31°58.1'
18h35m42s−150 min37°06.0'
19h05m42s−120 min41°42.5'
19h35m42s−90 min45°37.6'
20h05m42s−60 min48°39.1'
20h35m42s−30 min50°34.6'
21h05m42snoon51°14.0'
21h35m42s+30 min50°33.6'
22h05m42s+60 min48°37.3'
22h35m42s+90 min45°35.1'
23h05m42s+120 min41°39.5'
23h35m42s+150 min37°02.5'
00h05m42s+180 min31°54.1'
00h35m42s+210 min26°22.4'
01h05m42s+240 min20°33.0'