College

If the noon sun's declination is 10 degrees (from vertical) at a certain location at the equinox, then its latitude would be:

A. 10
B. 35
C. 55
D. 50
E. 65
F. 80

Answer :

Sure, let's solve the question step-by-step!

When we talk about the noon sun's declination at equinox, we are referring to the angle between the rays of the sun and the plane of the Earth's equator. During the equinoxes, which occur around March 21st and September 23rd, the sun is directly above the equator. This means the declination is 0 degrees with respect to the celestial equator.

However, in this scenario, we are given that the noon sun's declination angle is 10 degrees from the vertical. Let's analyze what this means:

1. Understanding Declination at Equinox:
- At equinox, the sun's rays hit the equator directly, which corresponds to a declination of 0 degrees regarding the celestial equator.
- If at a specific location, the sun's rays are 10 degrees from vertical, it means the angle from the place directly below the sun (zenith) to the celestial equator has such a difference.

2. Determining Latitude by Declination:
- The declination at equinox indicates the latitude. If at equinox the declination is 10 degrees, this suggests that the location is 10 degrees away from the equator.

Since the sun’s rays are at a declination of 10 degrees, the location is at a latitude of 10 degrees from the equator. Therefore, the latitude of this location is 10 degrees.