Noon Sun Angle Worksheet
Name
Equinox
Equinox
Solstice
Solstice
Name
Subsolar Point (Latitude where the sun is overhead at noon)
0o
0o
23.5˚ N
23.5˚ S
Date
March 22nd
September 22nd
June 22nd
December 22nd
Noon Sun Angle = 90 – Arc Distance
Recall: Arc Distance = latitude where you are at ± subsolar point
Hints: If the subsolar point and your latitude are in the same hemisphere, subtract.
If the subsolar point and your latitude are in different hemispheres, add.
Note: if you get a negative number, it means that no sunlight is received at that time of year… or there is
24 hours of nighttime, use 0o as your answer.
Instructions: complete the table.
Problem
Time of Year
Subsolar
Point
Example
September 22
1
Equinox
23.5˚N
90 –
=
2
March 22
80˚N
90 –
=
3
September 22
80˚S
90 –
=
4
June 22
80˚N
90 –
=
5
June 22
80˚S
90 –
=
6
June 22
0˚
90 –
=
7
December 22
80˚S
90 –
=
8
December 22
80˚N
90 –
=
9
December 22
23.5 ˚S
90 –
=
10
March 22
34˚N
90 –
=
11.
June 22
34˚N
90 –
=
12.
December 22
34˚N
90 –
=
0˚
Latitude
where you
are "at"
14˚
Arc Distance
Noon Sun Angle
Calculation
14 – 0 = 14
90 – 14 = 76
Noon
Sun
Angle
76˚
More about Noon Sun Angles
North
South
This is a diagram of a house in Arizona. Pretend that the house is in southern Arizona at 33˚N. The
diagram shows summer sun's rays at noon on the June 22nd Solstice and winter sun's rays at noon on the
December 22nd Solstice.
13. What is the angle of the sun’s rays at noon during the summer (June 22nd Solstice)? ___________.
Show your work here:
14. What is the angle of the sun’s rays at noon during the winter (December 22nd Solstice)?
___________________. Show your work here:
Bonus Questions
15. The original diagram is not correct. Winter and summer angles should both be a bit bigger (more
vertical). Use a protractor to check the diagram, then correct the picture.
16. Would you put a shade tree on the north or the south side of the house? Why?
KEY
Problem
Time of Year
Subsolar
Point
Arc Distance
Noon Sun Angle
Calculation
Noon
Sun
Angle
0˚
Latitude
where
you are
"at"
14˚
Example
September 22
14 – 0 = 14
90 – 14 = 76
76˚
1
Equinox
0˚
23.5˚N
23.5 – 0 = 23.5
90 – 23.5 = 66.5
66.5˚
2
March 22
0˚
80˚N
80 – 0 = 80
90 – 80 = 10
10˚
3
September 22
0˚
80˚S
80 – 0 = 80
90 – 80 = 10
10˚
4
June 22
23.5˚ N
80˚N
80 – 23.5 = 56.6
90 – 56.5 = 33.5
33.5˚
5
June 22
23.5˚ N
80˚S
80 + 23.5 = 103.5
6
June 22
23.5˚ N
0˚
23.5 – 0 = 23.5
90 – 103.5 = -13.5
this means no
sunlight is received
90 – 23.5 = 66.5
0˚
24 hours
of night
66.5˚
7
December 22
23.5˚ S
80˚S
80 – 23.5 = 56.5
90 – 56.5 = 33.5
33.5˚
8
December 22
23.5˚ S
80˚N
80 + 23.5 = 103.5
9
December 22
23.5˚ S
23.5 ˚S
23.5 – 23.5 = 0
90 – 103.5 = -13.5
this means no
sunlight is received
90 – 0 = 90
0˚
24 hours
of night
90˚
10
March 22
0˚
34˚N
34 – 0 = 34
90 – 34 = 56
56˚
11.
June 22
23.5˚ N
34˚N
34 – 23.5 = 10.5
90 – 10.5 = 79.5
79.5˚
12.
December 22
23.5˚ S
34˚N
34 + 23.5 = 57.5
90 – 57.5 = 32.5
32.5˚
KEY
Original- not correct
North
Correct
South
North
South
This is a diagram of a house in Arizona. Let’s pretend that the house is in southern Arizona at 33˚N.
The diagram shows summer sun's rays at noon on the June 22nd Solstice and winter sun's rays at noon
on the December 22nd Solstice.
13. What is the angle of the sun’s rays at noon during the summer (June 22nd Solstice)? ___________.
Show your work here:
Arc Distance = 33 - 23.5 = 9.5
Sun Angle = 90 – 9.5˚ = 80.5˚
14. What is the angle of the sun’s rays at noon during the winter (December 22nd Solstice)? __________.
Show your work here:
Arc Distance = 33.5 + 23.5 = 56.5
Sun Angle = 90 – 56.5 = 33.5˚
Bonus Questions
15. The original diagram is not correct. Winter and summer angles should both be a bit bigger (more
vertical). Use a protractor to check the diagram, then correct the picture.
See correction in diagram at the top of this page
16. Would you put a shade tree on the north or the south side of the house? Why?
The diagram shows that the sun is always shining from the south. The shade is always cast to
the north of the tree. The smart place to put a shade tree would be on the south side of the house.
Instructions: FILL IN THE CIRCLE BY THE CORRECT ANSWER
1. Why is it summer for us in the Northern Hemisphere in June?
 A. Earth is closer to the sun in June
 B. Sun angles are high and days are long
 C. The sun sends out giant solar flares in June
 D. So we can wear bathing suits on the water slides
2. Why is it winter in the Southern Hemisphere in June?
 A. Earth is farther away from the sun in June
 B. Sun angles are low and days are short
 C. The sun likes to get cool in June
 D. So the kids in Australia can surf
3. Look at the diagram above. Where is it summer?
 A. In Antarctica
 B. In the Southern Hemisphere
 C. At the Equator
 D. In the Northern Hemisphere
4. If you wanted to play all day long, I mean all 24 hours in the day, and it was the June Solstice (June
21st), where would you go?
 A. The Equator
 B. The Tropic of Cancer
 C. All of the latitudes from the Arctic Circle to the North Pole
KEY and Explanation for Geography Assessment
1. Why is it summer for us in the Northern Hemisphere in June?
 B. Sun angles are high and days are long. When the hemisphere on Earth "tilts towards the
sun", as it does in the Northern Hemisphere in June, days are longer and sun angles are
higher. This means that a lot more sunlight is received, making it summer.
2. Why is it winter in the Southern Hemisphere in June?
 B. Sun angles are low and days are short. When the hemisphere on Earth "tilts away the sun",
as it does in the Southern Hemisphere in June, days are shorter and sun angles are lower. This
means that a lot more sunlight is received, making it summer.
3. Look at the diagram above. Where is it summer?
 D. In the Northern Hemisphere. The sun is overhead at the Tropic of Cancer, making higher sun
angles with more intense sunlight. Also, days are longer.
4. If you wanted to play all day long, I mean all 24 hours in the day, and it was the June Solstice (June
21st), where would you go?
C. All of the latitudes from the Arctic Circle to the North Pole. These latitudes receive sunlight for all
24 hours as Earth spins on its axis.