The Straight Dope

Go Back   Straight Dope Message Board > Main > General Questions

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 04-09-2007, 06:44 PM
Will Repair Will Repair is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: May 2001
Zenith time?

(Sunset time - Sunrise time) /2 = Zenith?
(19:47 - 7:07)/2 = 12:40

Is this true for all days?
Reply With Quote
Advertisements  
  #2  
Old 04-09-2007, 07:37 PM
Kimstu Kimstu is online now
Guest
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Your phrase "zenith time" is somewhat misleading, because in most locations on most days the sun never actually reaches the zenith, i.e., the point directly above the observer.

What you mean is "true local noon", the time at which the sun crosses the observer's meridian (i.e., the semicircle extending through the zenith and the north and south points of the horizon).

And yes, the time between sunrise or sunset and true local noon is always half of the time between sunrise and sunset for that day. (See a graph of the simultaneous variation in these time intervals here.)
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 04-09-2007, 10:35 PM
WarmNPrickly WarmNPrickly is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Posts: 5,417
Isn't the equation (19:47 + 7:07)/2 = 1:27 ?
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:48 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2013, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

Send questions for Cecil Adams to: cecil@chicagoreader.com

Send comments about this website to: webmaster@straightdope.com

Terms of Use / Privacy Policy

Advertise on the Straight Dope!
(Your direct line to thousands of the smartest, hippest people on the planet, plus a few total dipsticks.)

Publishers - interested in subscribing to the Straight Dope?
Write to: sdsubscriptions@chicagoreader.com.

Copyright © 2013 Sun-Times Media, LLC.