23 September 2008

Using the ancient way to find latitude (23Set2008)



Students have used the shadow of a pole to measure their local latitude.

Today the Sun is precisely over the Equator and therefore we can use the sahadow produced by a pole a noon to measure the latitude. The angle that the shadow produces at the top of the pole will be exactly the same as the latitude of the place.

Our students have obtained a latitude of 37º N. The fact that it is in the northern hemisphere was deduced by the fact that the shadow was produced in that direction (confirmed by a compass) which means that the Sun is South of the place.

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