Watch in a 12 hour period where the sun will be at its highest and lowest at your location

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Miller_Ranch
Miller_Ranch Registered Users Posts: 40 ✭✭
edited May 2023 in General Solar Power Topics #1
Fun fact. When there is a full moon it tracks the same path the sun will take in 6 months and 12 hours. This happens any time there is a full moon. That means if you watch the full moon at the summer solstice it will track the sun at its lowest point of the year and then you can track the sun at its highest point during the day.
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  • mvas
    mvas Registered Users Posts: 395 ✭✭✭
    #2
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    No, the path of the full moon does not track the same path as the sun. The orbit of the moon is tilted +/- 5 degrees from the ecliptic,  with a precession of ~18.6 years. The sun will not appear at the same location, as the full moon, 6 months and 12 hours later.

    In the summer ...
    Day time - sun is high, above the ecliptic 
    Night time - full moon is low, below the ecliptic

    In the winter ...
    Day time - sun is low, below the ecliptic
    Night time - full moon is high, above the ecliptic
     
    This is due to 23.4° tilt of the Earth. 
    But the moon's orbit is tilted +/-5° from ecliptic.

    The sun and full moon do swap positions above and below the ecliptic, from summer to winter. But no, the sun and full moon do not follow the same path in the sky. This was known by the Babylonians, some 4,000 years ago.

    If the full moon followed that same path as the sun, then we would have a total lunar eclipse, and a total solar eclipse, every month. 
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  • Miller_Ranch
    Miller_Ranch Registered Users Posts: 40 ✭✭
    #3
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    This was supposed to be a fun fact. For those of us to sit out in there lawn chair and maybe enjoy a cold one and plan there system.

    June full moon mimics December sun

    Because a full moon stays more or less opposite the sun, the full moon’s nighttime path mimics the sun’s daytime path from six months ago, or six months hence.

    This full moon occurs close to the June solstice, so this full moon follows nearly the same path across the sky as the December solstice sun. The December solstice is the Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice. So the moon’s trek on the nights around the June full moon will resemble the low path of the winter solstice sun.

    North of the Arctic Circle, the wintertime sun never climbs above the horizon. So neither will this June full moon.

    Meanwhile – in the Southern Hemisphere – the June full moon’s flight across the sky will mirror that of the high summer solstice sun.

    And, south of the Antarctic Circle, the moon will be out for 24 hours around the clock, simulating the midnight sun of summer.


    This is from earthsky.org

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  • Marc Kurth
    Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,144 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
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    Miller_Ranch said:
    This was supposed to be a fun fact. For those of us to sit out in there lawn chair and maybe enjoy a cold one and plan there system.

    June full moon mimics December sun

    Because a full moon stays more or less opposite the sun, the full moon’s nighttime path mimics the sun’s daytime path from six months ago, or six months hence.

    This full moon occurs close to the June solstice, so this full moon follows nearly the same path across the sky as the December solstice sun. The December solstice is the Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice. So the moon’s trek on the nights around the June full moon will resemble the low path of the winter solstice sun.

    North of the Arctic Circle, the wintertime sun never climbs above the horizon. So neither will this June full moon.

    Meanwhile – in the Southern Hemisphere – the June full moon’s flight across the sky will mirror that of the high summer solstice sun.

    And, south of the Antarctic Circle, the moon will be out for 24 hours around the clock, simulating the midnight sun of summer.


    This is from earthsky.org


    I feel that I must consume a cold one (or two) for investigative purposes. B);)
    Thanks for the info!

    Marc
    I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.
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  • Miller_Ranch
    Miller_Ranch Registered Users Posts: 40 ✭✭
    #5
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    Years ago I had an idea where a good location for my solar panels would be. Research on the night of the full moon around the summer solstice confirmed it.

    Research equipment included comfy chair and a few cold ones.   :)

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  • Marc Kurth
    Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,144 ✭✭✭✭
    #6
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    Based on your post, I have been actively conducting additional research while gaining broad experience with various blends of hops and barley.
    Marc
    I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.
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  • Miller_Ranch
    Miller_Ranch Registered Users Posts: 40 ✭✭
    #7
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    Having the right tools always makes a job easier.

    After I decided my location for the panels I used this web site to determine the tilt angle.

    https://www.solarpaneltilt.com
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,748 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #8
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j46qfuK72I
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • Miller_Ranch
    Miller_Ranch Registered Users Posts: 40 ✭✭
    #9
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    That's really cool. Did you build that?  How does it know how to direct itself? My neighbor has solar panels on two mounts that directs itself by temperature I think. There are weight lifting weights on it and what I think are Freon cells for it to detect temperature from the sun.
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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,748 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #10
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    Electric track with Photo sensors, the previous generation before yours. The DA  version is about 40% gain.

     The freon trackers did not go back east in the pm and that was their major shortcoming. (no power in the early hours of the day) They are long out of business also. 

    Tracking for offgrid has been pretty much side stepped by virtual tracking with inexpensive solar panels. Still very valid if you have cooling loads or water pumping loads in summer. Even winter can make it valuable on days where it clears for a few hours early or late in the day. A DA is such a great tool to teach kids and grandkids!


    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,748 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #11
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    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

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  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,046 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2023 #12
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    Dave Angelini said:

     The freon trackers did not go back east in the pm and that was their major shortcoming. (no power in the early hours of the day) They are long out of business also. 

    My neighbor here in Baja has a freon based tracker on his house working to this day. It's been up there over 20 years now. We were sitting, talking one morning when the tracker flopped back eastward. I nearly soiled myself from the surprise it caused me.Yikes!

    2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric,  460 Ah. 24 volt LiFePo4 battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

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  • Miller_Ranch
    Miller_Ranch Registered Users Posts: 40 ✭✭
    #13
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    My neighbor is still using there's too. They have two of them. I was over there one early morning and saw them grab the lowest panel and pull them around to the east. I could tell it was part of there morning routine.


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  • JRHill
    JRHill Registered Users Posts: 284 ✭✭✭
    #14
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    Marc Kurth said:
    Miller_Ranch said:
    This was supposed to be a fun fact. For those of us to sit out in there lawn chair and maybe enjoy a cold one and plan there system.

    June full moon mimics December sun

    Because a full moon stays more or less opposite the sun, the full moon’s nighttime path mimics the sun’s daytime path from six months ago, or six months hence.

    This full moon occurs close to the June solstice, so this full moon follows nearly the same path across the sky as the December solstice sun. The December solstice is the Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice. So the moon’s trek on the nights around the June full moon will resemble the low path of the winter solstice sun.

    North of the Arctic Circle, the wintertime sun never climbs above the horizon. So neither will this June full moon.

    Meanwhile – in the Southern Hemisphere – the June full moon’s flight across the sky will mirror that of the high summer solstice sun.

    And, south of the Antarctic Circle, the moon will be out for 24 hours around the clock, simulating the midnight sun of summer.


    This is from earthsky.org


    I feel that I must consume a cold one (or two) for investigative purposes. B);)
    Thanks for the info!

    Marc
    This was a major screw up of mine. Location, location, location. We selected the idyllic location for our house in a natural, slightly sloping plateau on a north facing side of our canyon. But our sun exposure for a month before and after the winter solstice is terrible. And you know, if gets worse every year? Duh, trees grow.
    Off Grid. Two systems: 1) 2925w panels, OB VFXR3648, FM80, FNDC, Victron BMV-712, Mate3s, 240 xformer, four SimpliPHI 3.8; 2) 780w, Morningstar 30a, Grundfos switch, controller and AC/DC pump, 8 T105. Honda EU7000is w/AGS. Champion 3100. HF 4550, Miller Bobcat.
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  • Miller_Ranch
    Miller_Ranch Registered Users Posts: 40 ✭✭
    edited May 2023 #15
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    Did you check out the Wattsun AccuTrak Dual Axis Tracker that Dave posted ?  40% gain. Maybe that would help you.
    Even endorsed by Ed Begley, Jr.  :)

    “I have owned an ATI solar tracker since the early 1990's - flawless piece of equipment.”

    Ed Begley, Jr. - Actor & Environmentalist



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  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,046 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #16
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    Miller_Ranch said:
    Did you check out the Wattsun AccuTrak Dual Axis Tracker that Dave posted ?  40% gain. Maybe that would help you.
    Even endorsed by Ed Begley, Jr.  :)

    “I have owned an ATI solar tracker since the early 1990's - flawless piece of equipment.”

    Ed Begley, Jr. - Actor & Environmentalist



    That's funny. I bought a whole bunch of old solar panels from him off his San Fernando Valley home. Mostly Solarex MX-60 panels so you know he has been into solar since the beginning. He was installing new solar of course.

    2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric,  460 Ah. 24 volt LiFePo4 battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

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  • Miller_Ranch
    Miller_Ranch Registered Users Posts: 40 ✭✭
    #17
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    Took a trip to Loreto years ago. Beautiful.

    Doesn't Jesse Ventura live on the Baja peninsula too? 
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  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,046 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #18
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    Miller_Ranch said:
    Took a trip to Loreto years ago. Beautiful.

    Doesn't Jesse Ventura live on the Baja peninsula too? 
    I couldn't tell you.  But I do agree, it's beautiful. Where else can you buy a beachfront home for 40 grand?

    2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric,  460 Ah. 24 volt LiFePo4 battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

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  • Miller_Ranch
    Miller_Ranch Registered Users Posts: 40 ✭✭
    edited June 2023 #19
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    Its here, Get your gravity chair and cooler ready for this Sunday June 4th. This is low tech stuff , is it perfect? no, but pretty darn  close.

    Take note of where your sun is during the day then enjoy the full moon and track where the sun will be at its lowest this winter.

    You will have a second chance on July 3rd

    Miles from the nearest power line here in the heart of the Gila National Forest New Mexico and loving it

    My system is in but always nice to watch.
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  • Miller_Ranch
    Miller_Ranch Registered Users Posts: 40 ✭✭
    #20
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    One more chance to see how your panels will do or where you want to put them. Tomorrow night will actually be more accurate than the last full moon since it is closer to the summer solstice.

    Pay attention to the full moon Monday night and watch where the sun will be at its lowest this winter.

    Happy 4th everyone.

     :) 


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