7k views

### Why is twilight longer in summer than winter and shortest at the equinox

I recently decided to set my alarm clock to wake me up when it is "dark" out. In the end, I decided to set my clock to the earliest time that nautical sunrise is in my state (Illinois) and stick with ...
2k views

### Cancelling out earth rotation speed, Altazimuth mount

I have a Dobsonian telescope. It is using Altazimuth mount. Basic idea of using it is to target the object by moving telescope vertical axis perpendicular to the ground, and an elevation axis that is ...
958 views

### Determining sunrise and sunset times based on azimuth and elevation

If I observe the sun and measure the local azimuth and elevation, and I also have my latitude, can I calculate the local sunrise and local sunset times? If so, how would I calculate it? Further, can ...
694 views

### Finding hour angle, altitude

I know the latitude and longitude of a city ($41^\circ 87'$ N, $87^\circ 62'$ W), the declination and right ascension of a star($16.51^\circ$, $68.98^\circ$) and the local time, date (27.12.2017, 1:20 ...
102 views

### Is there any formulae to calculate whether the sun will depress 18 degrees or more below the horizon on a certain day / location?

I'm trying to code a piece of software which will calculate some times for me that would greatly help me in my day to day but none of my formulae work if the sun doesn't go at least 18 degrees below ...
197 views

### Position of specific stars in the sky as a function of time

I'm a beginner in astronomy and I'm trying to figure out how to model the positions of stars in the night sky mathematically (ie a function which spits out azimuth and altitude as a function of time). ...
212 views

### How can we estimate if a certain astronomical object will be visible from a place on earth?

If we have the RA/DEC of an object that we want to observe, how can we tell if that object is visible from our place on earth (at a particular time of the year)? Given that the part of the sky we are ...
109 views

### Can someone explain me this diagram from an article?

How should I understand this 59 degree mentioned below, what does it mean? I could not get it. The photo is a diagram from an article dedicated to the invention of the ecliptic. The photo is from my ...
106 views

### Distance from W(West) to vernal equinox

I am pretty new to astronomy and the project I am currently working on requires some knowledge of equatorial coordinate system. As long as I have been researching this question, I understood that ...
91 views

### ra for sun vs stars

There is formula for stars sideral time: $$ra - \arccos(-\tan(dec)*\tan(lat)).$$ where $ra$ - is right of ascension at the vernal equinox. $lat$ = latitude $dec$ = declination Is it applicable ...