Equinox Project Results
Autumnal Equinox 2006

Contributed Data - 2006

School

City

State/Territory or Country

Latitude
(degrees)

Shortest shadow
(cm)

Angle
(degrees)

Time

Teacher

Serrano High School - 9

Phelan

California

34 N

66.4

34

12:43 PM

Karen Young

Springhill - 5

Lafayette

California

37 N

72

35.7

1:00 PM

Kim Brast

Olympic Heights High School - 11, 12

Boca Raton

Florida

26 N

50

26.6

1:15 PM

Lachlan MacKay

Statesboro High School

Statesboro

Georgia

32 N

62.8

32

1:30 PM

Gordon Parks

Charleston Middle School - 8

Charleston

Illinois

39 N

79**

38**

12:50 PM

Tim McCollum

Monticello Middle School - 6

Monticello

Illinois

40 N

77

38

12:40 PM

Georgiean Benson

Hawthorne Brook Middle School - 6

Townsend

Massachusetts

42 N

91

42.3

12:00 PM

Marilyn Richardson

Woodside Montessori Academy - 1, 2, 3

Franklin

Massachusetts

40 N

91.5

40

12:28 PM

Kathy Gasbarro

Edith C. Baker School - 8

Chestnut Hill

Massachusetts

42.3 N

89

42

12:37 PM

Jullie Rains

Gates Intermediate School - 8

Scituate

Massachusetts

42 N

104**^

41**^

12:39 PM

Charles Lindgren

Pine Middle School - 7

Reno

Nevada

39

81

39.01

12:01 PM

Susan Kaiser

Monadnock Regional - 11, 12

Swanzey

New Hampshire

42.75 N

92

42.6

12:25 PM

Robbins

Mark Twain IS 239 - 8

Brooklyn

New York

40

82

39.4

12:49 PM

Elizabeth Kurzius Donohue

Maplewood Intermediate School - 5

Huntington Station

New York

40 N

86

41

12:16 PM

Suzzane Ciccarelli

Public School 212 Q - 5

Jackson Heights

New York

40 N

80

42

1:35 PM

Phyllis Mueses

Hoani Waititi Kura - 10

Auckland

New Zealand

38 S

*

38*

12:20 PM

Graham Murray

Coilegio Radians - 9

Cayey

Puerto Rico

18 N

37.3

20.4

12:20 PM

Julio De Jesus

Hilton Head Middle School - 7

Beaufort

South Carolina

32 N

64

32.6

1:30 PM

Lois Lewis

West Texas Middle School - 6, 7, 8

Stinnett

Texas

35 N

62

32

1:35 PM

Tammy White

Venus Elementary - 3, 4, 5

Venus

Texas

32.47 N

59

30

1:25 PM

Sukassa Chapman


* Activity conducted on 9/20 due to cloudy forecasts for 9/21 & 9/22

** Activity conducted on 9/21 due to cloudy forecast for 9/22

^ Shadow length of 104 cm cast by 119 cm post

Additional submitted data will be added to project results until September 30th


Suggested Discussion Questions

1. Did the shortest shadow of the meter stick always fall at "clock noon"?

2. Solar noon is the exact time that the sun is at the mid-point (transit) of the daytime sky. How does your location within a time zone determine when solar noon will occur?

3. Do you find any pattern within the data? Explain.

4. Why are these angles of the shadows only possible on or near the fall and spring equinox?

5. How can the submitted data be used to determine the angle of the sun above the horizon rather than the angle of the shadow?


Thank you for participating in the Noon Shadows on the Equinox Project.

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