Solar Altitude Angle, Surface Azimuth Angle, Solar Azimuth Angle & Altitude Angle

 1. Solar Altitude Angle:[α] 

The solar altitude angle, also known as the solar elevation angle, represents the height of the sun above the horizon. It is the angle between the horizontal plane and the line from the observer to the center of the sun. The solar altitude angle varies throughout the day and changes with the seasons. It is typically measured in degrees.

The solar altitude angle is 0 degree at sunrise and usually 90 degrees when the sun is overhead at noon.

The solar altitude angle is the angle between the sun׳s rays and a horizontal plane as shown in Fig.

It is related to the solar zenith angle Φ, being the angle between the sun׳s rays and the vertical.

Formula for the elevation angle at solar noon can be determined: α=90+φ-δα=90+φ-δ 

where: φ is the latitude of the required location (positive for the northern hemisphere and negative for the southern hemisphere).

2. Surface Azimuth Angle: [Υ]

The surface azimuth angle, also referred to as the solar azimuth angle, is the angle between the projected vector normal to a surface (such as a solar panel) and the direction of the sun measured clockwise from true north. In simpler terms, it represents the orientation of a surface with respect to the sun. The surface azimuth angle is usually measured in degrees, with 0° indicating north, 90° east, 180° south, and 270° west.

The deviation of the projection on a horizontal plane of the normal to the surface from the local meridian, with zero due south, east negative, and west positive; -180° ≤ Υ ≤ 180°

3. Solar Azimuth Angle: 

The solar azimuth angle is the angle between the direction of the sun and a reference direction in the horizontal plane, typically true south. It indicates the direction from which the sunlight is coming relative to the observer. The solar azimuth angle is also measured in degrees, with 0° representing the sun directly south, 90° east, 180° north, and 270° west.

Solar azimuth angle is defined as the angle between the projection of sun's centre onto the horizontal plane and due south direction.

The solar azimuth angle z is the angle of the sun׳s rays measured in the horizontal plane from due south (true south) for the northern hemisphere or due north for the southern hemisphere; westward is designated as positive.

4. Altitude Angle: 

The altitude angle, in the context of electrical engineering, can refer to the angular distance between an object and a reference plane or point. It could represent the angle of inclination or elevation of an antenna, satellite dish, or other equipment relative to a horizontal or vertical reference.