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The sun is shining vertically at noon on September 14th at a latitude of 4 degrees north. What is the solar elevation at noon in Boone (36)?

User Sagine
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Final answer:

The solar elevation at noon in Boone (36 degrees North) on September 14th is approximately 54 degrees above the horizon, with an assumption that the sun's declination is close to 0 degrees as it is near the equinox.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the solar elevation at noon in Boone, located at a latitude of 36 degrees North, we have to consider that on September 14th, the sun's declination is quite close to the equator because it is slightly after September equinox when the Sun crosses the equator moving south.

However, it is not exactly the equator, as this date is not one of the equinoxes. Given this information, to find the solar elevation (also known as solar altitude), one must consider the Earth's tilt and the position of Boone in relation to the Sun's declination on that date. Without the exact declination on September 14th, a precise calculation cannot be made, but it would be approximately 90 degrees minus the latitude of Boone (36 degrees) to get a rough estimate if the Sun's declination is assumed to be 0. This gives us an altitude approximately 54 degrees above the horizon at solar noon on September 14th for Boone.

User Iamklaus
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