Sandburg Center for Sky Awareness
A Fairfax County Public Schools Planetarium

Object Height Calculator

Use the SCSA Object Height Calculator to calculate the height of tall shadow-casters, e.g., buildings, flagpoles, utility poles, trees, etc.:
  1. Measure the distance from the base of an object to the tip of its shadow.
  2. For a specific date and time, determine the apparent Altitude of the Sun. [Set "Tabular Interval" to one (1) minute.] NEVER look directly at the Sun--blindness may result! Altitude/Azimuth Table courtesy U.S. Naval Observatory.

Note: Input fractions as decimals. For example, input 4 ½ as 4.50.
Object Shadow Length: (unit-independent)
Apparent Altitude of the Sun: (0-90 degrees)

Height of Object is units.

© Copyright 2002-2008 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved.
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