Solar and Infrared Radiation Measurements

Appendix C: Sun Path Charts

For setting up a solar monitoring station or evaluating the performance of a solar energy system, it is useful to know the position of the sun in the sky. Solar algorithms exist (Appendix D) to calculate the solar position. Sometimes it is useful to get a visual image of the position of the sun, especially when evaluating shading caused by nearby objects. Usage of sun path charts are discussed in Chapter 2 and Chapter 14. In this appendix, both Cartesian and polar plots are given for every 10° of latitude. Sun path charts for a given latitude can also be created at http://solardata.uoregon.edu/SunChartProgram.php. Sundial plots, showing the shadow from the tip of a pole as it moves across the ground, can be created ...