UNDERSTANDING GLOBAL

POSITIONING
Latitude and Longitude is a coordinate system
that is used to locate any place in the globe.
 (Latitude, Longitude)
Latitude- Horizontal Lines (read first)
Longitude- Vertical Lines (read second)
 RED Line- Equator
GREEN Section- Northern Hemisphere
BLUE Section- Southern Hemisphere
NORTH POLE- 90° north SOUTH POLE- 90° south
of the equator of the equator

ARTIC CIRCLE ANTARTIC CIRCLE

23.5 degrees North- Tropic of Cancer
23.5 degrees South- Tropic of Capricorn

TROPICS
 PRIME MERIDIAN
Lines of Longitude
are also called
Meridians

Prime Meridian
Greenwich- It is the
International
0 Longitude
Reference
 RED Line- Prime Meridian
GREEN Section- Western Hemisphere
BLUE Section- Eastern Hemisphere
 Reading Locations

EX: Mount Ngauruhoe,

New Zealand
39° 09' 24.6" South
175° 37' 55.8" East
 Each degree latitude or
longitude contains 60
minutes
 Each minute latitude or
longitude contains 60
seconds
UNDERSTANDING THE SUN PATH
DIAGRAM
DJAR1B | TROPDES | AR. SYLVESTER SEÑO
Arrojo + Calimag + De Torres + Pamintuan + Yapchulay
Definition of Terms

 ALTITUDE- height of the sun

 AZIMUTH- direction of the sun
 CELESTIAL- positioned in the sky
 DECLINATION- position of the sun
 ZENITH- highest point reached by a
celestial
STEP 1:
Select Date (month, day)
Ex: April 17

STEP 2:
Select Time (sunrise to sunset)
Ex: 9:00am

STEP 3:
Check for the Sun Declination
Ex: + 10
 Chart is applicable for any location in the
Philippines only
STEP 4:
Using the Sun Declination &
Time Information, identify
the Altitude & Azimuth
Ex: Altitude: 45.9°
Azimuth: 90.6°

 Chart is applicable for any location in the

Metro Manila, Philippines only
 Chart is subdivided into 5° intervals only
(Other intervals may be intercalated
manually or may be found in the
Astronomical Handbook of PAGASA)
Azimuth
Altitude
Time
Sun’s Declination
STEP 5:
Using all the information,
Plot the Sun’s position
Ex:
April 17 (9am)
Location: Metro Manila,
Philippines
Sun’s Declination: +10
Altitude: 45.9°
Azimuth: 90.6°  Image is called Sun Path Diagram
STEP 6:
Project the Position
identified

SHADOW CASTED 45.9°

 Digital Manipulation

Step 1: Open
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/AltAz.php
 Digital Manipulation

Step 2: Tabulate necessary information

* Location Coordinates Ex: Tanay, Rizal, Philippines
 Digital Manipulation

Location: Tanay, Rizal, Philippines

Altitude: 47.2°
Azimuth: 90.4°

Step 3: Use the Given Altitude and Azimuth to Plot

the Sun’s Position
 REFERENCES
 Sun Path image & information asked from the
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and
Astronomical Administration (PAGASA)
 Digital Sun’s data information taken from the
U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO)
 Global Positioning image & information taken from
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA)