Equinox Project Results
Autumnal Equinox 2005

Contributed Data - 2005

School

City

State/Territory

Latitude
(degrees)

Shortest shadow
(cm)

Angle
(degrees)

Time

Teacher

Serrano High School - 9

Phelan

California

34 N

67.3

34

12:43 PM

Mrs. Young

Olympic Heights High School - 11-12

Boca Raton

Florida

26 N

47.5

25.4

1:13 PM

Lachlan MacKay

Charleston Middle School - 8

Charleston

Illinois

39 N

85

40

12:35 PM

Tim McCollum

Midwest Central Middle School - 8

Green Valley

Illinois

40 N

82

39.5

12:52 PM

Brian Poelker

Monticello Middle School - 6

Monticello

Illinois

40 N

88

41

12:46 PM

Georgiean Benson

Neoga Middle School - 6

Neoga

Illinois

39 N

76

37.2

12:45 PM

Mrs. Smith, Mr. Hacker, Mr. Weston, Ms. Kastl

Western Mennonite School - 6-12

Salem

Oregon

45 N

97.1

44.2

1:05 PM

Bob Snyder

Contributed Data - 2004

School

City

State/Territory

Latitude
(degrees)

Shortest shadow
(cm)

Angle
(degrees)

Time

Teacher

Charleston Middle School - 8th

Charleston

Illinois

39 N

80

39

12:45 PM

Tim McCollum

Stark County High School

Toulon

Illinois

41 N

88

41

12:40PM

Tim Wagner

Gates Intermediate School

Scituate

Massachusetts

42 N

90

42

12:36 PM

Charles Lindgren

Contributed Data - 2003

School

City

State/Territory

Latitude
(degrees)

Shortest shadow
(cm)

Angle
(degrees)

Time

Teacher

Desert Trails Elementary School - 5th

Adelanto

California

34 N

70

35

12:00 PM

Julie Taylor

Florida State University School - 9

Tallahassee

Florida

30 N

59

30.8

12:45 PM

Catherine McQuone

Charleston Middle School - 8th

Charleston

Illinois

39 N

81

39

12:40 PM

Tim McCollum

Midwest Central Middle School - 8th

Green Valley

Illinois

40.4 N

84.5

40.2

12:50 PM

Brian Poelker

Monticello - 6th

Monticello

Illinois

40 N

77.9

38

12:55 PM

Georgiean Benson

Newberry Math & Science Academy - 8th

Chicago

Illinois

41.9 N

81

39

12:05 PM

Mary McKinney

Meadow Creek Christian School - 7th

Andover

Minnesota

45.2 N

100

45

1:06 PM

Mrs. McLellan

Mississippi State University

Starkville

Mississippi

33.5 N

73

36

11:38 AM

W.F. Wheatley III

Discovery School - 3/4

Spokane

Washington

47.5 N

106

47

12:42 PM

Lorna Kropp & Molly Zammit

Contributed Data - 2002

School

City

State/Territory

Latitude
(degrees)

Shortest shadow
(cm)

Angle
(degrees)

Time

Teacher

Ana Maria Javaris School - 6

Aquadilla

Puerto Rico

18.28 N

33

18.26

12:25

Maria Arce

Arturo Grant Pardo - 1, 2

Lajas

Puerto Rico

18.20 N

60

34.4

11:35

Sra. Claver Vargas, Sra. Hilda Segarra

Charleston Middle School - 8

Charleston

Illinois

39.30 N

81

39.00

12:46

Tim McCollum

Churchville Middle School - 8

Elmhurst

Illinois

41.9 N

86

40.4

12.46

Nancy Nega

Conway Middle School - 7

Orlando

Florida

28.5 N

53.34

28.08

1:17

Kathy Henriquez

Desert Trails Elementary - 5

Adelanto

California

34.37 N

67

34

12:00

Julie Taylor

Eugenio Maria de Hostos - 12

Mayaquez

Puerto Rico

18.12 N

33.8

18.6

12:20

Rosa M. Olivencia

Illinois Mathematics & Science Academy -10

Aurora

Illinois

41.78 N

88.9

41.69

12:46

Mark Horrell

Ingomar Middle School

Ingomar

Pennsylvania

40.35 N

98

45

1:30

Mr. Schaefer

Midwest Central Middle School

Green Valley

Illinois

40 N

84

40.03

12:50

Brian Poelker

Rafael Fabian Elementary - 3

Aquadilla

Puerto Rico

18.25 N

34

18.77

12:21

Maria M. Corchado

Regional Bilingual School Ramirez de Arellano - 9, 10

Anasco

Puerto Rico

18.17 N

32.6

18.1

12:18

Roberto L. Diaz, Aixa Muiz

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 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.

Return to Equinox Main Page