1. What is a Summer Solstice Daylight Calculator?

Definition: This calculator estimates the number of daylight hours during the summer solstice based on geographic latitude.

Purpose: It helps astronomers, geographers, and curious individuals understand daylight patterns at different locations during the longest day of the year.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• Hours — Daylight duration (hours)
• φ — Geographic latitude (degrees)
• 23.44° — Earth's axial tilt (summer solstice)

Explanation: The formula calculates the fraction of the day when the sun is above the horizon at summer solstice.

3. Importance of Daylight Calculation

Details: Understanding daylight patterns helps in agriculture, solar energy planning, tourism, and studying seasonal effects on ecosystems.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter your latitude in degrees (-90 to 90). Positive for north, negative for south. The calculator handles polar day/night conditions automatically.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why 23.44 degrees in the formula?
A: This represents Earth's axial tilt relative to its orbital plane, which is maximum during solstices.

Q2: What about other times of year?
A: This calculator is specific to summer solstice. Different formulas apply for equinoxes and winter solstice.

Q3: Why does the result sometimes show 0 or 24 hours?
A: At extreme latitudes (beyond polar circles), you get either midnight sun (24h daylight) or polar night (0h daylight) during solstices.

Q4: How accurate is this calculation?
A: It provides theoretical daylight duration. Actual sunrise/sunset times may vary slightly due to atmospheric refraction.

Q5: Can I use this for the winter solstice?
A: No, winter solstice calculation requires adjusting the axial tilt sign and has different polar day/night conditions.