Fred Sawyer
Chicago 2005
c B
Rule 1. The sum of the lengths of a spherical triangle's sides is always less than 360.
c B
Rule 2. The sum of the angles at its vertices is greater than 180 and less than 540.
c B
Rule 3. The sum of the lengths of any two sides is greater than the length of the third side.
c B
Rule 4. If a side (or angle) differs from 90 by more than another side (or angle), then it is in the same quadrant as its opposite angle (or side). In other words, they are either both greater than 90 or both less than 90.
c B
Rule 5. Half the sum of two sides of a spherical triangle must be in the same quadrant as half the sum of the two opposite angles.
c B
Cosine Law
c B
Cosine Law
c B
Cosine Law
c B
Sine Law
c B
c B
Given any 3 elements of a spherical triangle, it is possible to solve for the other 3.
c B
a B
A
Most Difficult Case a B
c B
c B
cosc
sin a cos a cos B sin b cosb cos A sin a cosb cos B sin b cos a cos A
az Z
az Z
az Z
Given altitude, azimuth and latitude, Find the solar declination and hour angle.
az Z
Cosine law gives us declination from altitude, azimuth and latitude. Then sine law gives us hour angle from declination, azimuth and altitude.
az Z
Alternatively, use the Four Element equation to obtain the hour angle directly from altitude, azimuth and latitude. Then use the sine law or the cosine law to find the declination.
az Z
az Z
az Z
H
90
Hec
sin t
Incline the plane by 80d, dragging the spike within the spheres surface.
Decline the plane by 40 d. This is a rotation about the vertical at your site.
Lat. 42
Inc. 80
i
C
Dec. 40
Thank you !