Sun Tracker Instructions

You can follow the Sun's path across the sky for any location on any day of the year. Instructions The top half of the display is your control console: Choose a month and day using the menus. Choose the location you want. Either: Pick a city from the menu. Click any spot on the world map Click "Run" when you've made your choices The path of the sun at this place and on this day is traced on both the bottom panels. For the left display, imagine that you are standing looking South, and the surrounding circular view has been snipped through the North and laid flat. On the right, imagine that you are the stick figure with the diamond head. The path of the Sun is traced on the imaginery celestial sphere that surrounds you like a dome. This trace is exactly what you would see if you were using Dr. Leila's celestial sphere tool. Click on the sphere and drag it around to get a better view! Choose another place or date and click "Run" again to get another plot. When you have too many plots and want to clear your display, click "Reset". Some interesting things to look for: How does the Sun's path change during a year at your location? How would the Sun's path be different for today if you went to the location exactly opposite yours on the other side of the equator? (known as your antipode.) How do things change if you move exactly east or west (i.e. along the same latitude)? At noon, is the Sun in the South or the North sky where you live? Find a place where the Sun is in the opposite part of the sky at noon. Find a place where the Sun is sometimes in the North and sometimes in the South at noon, depending on the day? Where and when would you travel to if you want to lose your shadow completely in broad daylight? If you wanted to sleep 24 hours straight and not be bothered by sunlight, where would you go and when? Suppose you are afraid of the dark. Find a date and location where the Sun is up all day. Find a date and location where the Sun is up for almost exactly 12 hours.

Lab Manual

Whyville West

Outside

Inside