Equinox Project Results
Autumnal Equinox 2011

Contributed Data - 2011

School

City

State/Territory or Country

Latitude
(degrees)

Shortest shadow
(cm)

Angle
(degrees)

Time

Teacher

Graymont Grade School

Graymont

Illinois

40 52 N

83

39.69

12:45 PM

Shelly Hott

Round Mountain High School

Round Mountain

Nevada

38.69 N

51.9

38.60

12:41 PM

Dan Kurtak

Sheridan Elementary School

Sheridan

Texas

29 29 N

57

30

1:13 PM

Ruth Rouse

JOIDES Resolution*

Atlantic Ocean

USA

22 7 N

41.9

22 7

11:57 AM

Jennifer Magnusson

* Joint Oceanographic Institutions for Deep Earth Sampling scientific drilling ship

Contributed Data - 2010

School

City

State/Territory or Country

Latitude
(degrees)

Shortest shadow
(cm)

Angle
(degrees)

Time

Teacher

Wamogo Regional Middle/High School

Litchfield

Connecticut

41 45 N

87

41

12:45 PM

Susan Brooks

Charleston Middle School

Charleston

Illinois

39.5 N

83

39

12:45 PM

Tim McCollum

Grant Middle School

Fairview Heights

Illinois

38 5 N

80

38

12:29 PM

Xander Hardt

Hillside Elementary School

Needham

Massachusetts

42 17 N

86.5

42

12:37 PM

Amy Cicala

Prince of Peace Catholic School

Plano

Texas

33 0 N

62

32

1:30 PM

Michelle Anderson / Eve Juarez

Contributed Data - 2009

School

City

State/Territory or Country

Latitude
(degrees)

Shortest shadow
(cm)

Angle
(degrees)

Time

Teacher

Charleston Middle School

Charleston

Illinois

39.5 N

84*

40*

12:45 PM

Tim McCollum

Waynesville Middle School

Rolla

Missouri

39.9

77.8

37.9

1:00 PM

H. Turner

James Monroe Middle School

Albuquerque

New Mexico

35 N

70

34

12:45 PM

Turtle Haste

Southern Cayuga High School

Poplar Ridge

New York

42 N

92

42

1:14 PM

M. Dempsey

Puerto Rico Baseball Academy

Gurabo

Puerto Rico

18 N

32.2

18.4

12:17 PM

Julio de Jesus - Aponte


* Activity conducted on 9/23 due to cloudy conditions on 9/22

Contributed Data - 2008

School

City

State/Territory or Country

Latitude
(degrees)

Shortest shadow
(cm)

Angle
(degrees)

Time

Teacher

Springhill - 4

Lafayette

California

37.9 N

78

37.9

12:52 PM

Kim Brast

Olympic Heights H.S. - 11/12

Boca Raton

Florida

26.4 N

50

26.6

1:13 PM

Lachlan MacKay

Charleston Middle School - 8

Charleston

Illinois

39.5 N

83

39

12:45 PM

Tim McCollum

Youngstown State University - Freshman

Youngstown

Ohio

41.06 N

86.7

40.9

1:12 PM

Richard Pirko

Gates Intermediate School

Scituate

Massachusetts

40.2 N

81.5

44

12:46 PM

Amanda Kruggel

Contributed Data - 2007

School

City

State/Territory or Country

Latitude
(degrees)

Shortest shadow
(cm)

Angle
(degrees)

Time

Teacher

West Aurora High School - 11

Aurora

Illinois

41.8 N

88

41.3

1:12 PM

Ali Swanson

St. Rose School - 5/8

Breese

Illinois

38.6 N

80.4

38.4

12:45 PM

Pamela Andrews

Charleston Middle School - 8

Charleston

Illinois

39.5 N

83

40

12:45 PM

Tim McCollum/Xander Hardt

Radians School - 11

Cayey

Puerto Rico

18.5 N

33.1

18.3

1:12 PM

Julio De Jesus

Springhill - 3

Lafayette

California

37.9 N

76

37.3

1:00 PM

Kim Brast

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

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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