1. What is Daylight Calculation?

Daylight calculation determines the number of hours between sunrise and sunset at a specific geographic location and date. It's based on solar geometry and accounts for the Earth's axial tilt and orbital position.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses solar geometry principles:

Where daylight hours are calculated using:

• Latitude and longitude coordinates
• Date and day of year
• Solar declination angle
• Hour angle calculation

Explanation: The calculation accounts for the Earth's 23.5-degree axial tilt and its elliptical orbit around the sun, which causes seasonal variations in daylight duration.

3. Importance of Daylight Calculation

Details: Daylight calculation is essential for agriculture, solar energy planning, construction scheduling, outdoor activities planning, and understanding seasonal variations in different geographic regions.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter valid latitude (-90 to 90 degrees), longitude (-180 to 180 degrees), and select a date. The calculator will compute the daylight hours for that location and date.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why do daylight hours vary throughout the year?
A: Daylight hours vary due to the Earth's axial tilt of 23.5 degrees and its elliptical orbit around the sun, causing seasonal changes in solar exposure.

Q2: Where are daylight hours most consistent year-round?
A: Near the equator, daylight hours remain relatively constant at approximately 12 hours per day throughout the year.

Q3: What causes the midnight sun phenomenon?
A: The midnight sun occurs in polar regions during summer when the sun remains visible at midnight due to the Earth's axial tilt.

Q4: How accurate is this daylight calculation?
A: This provides a good approximation, but actual daylight can vary slightly due to atmospheric conditions and local topography.

Q5: Does daylight saving time affect the calculation?
A: No, this calculation provides astronomical daylight hours. Daylight saving time is a human-made time adjustment that doesn't affect the actual duration of daylight.