Read the sun path diagram
The sun path diagram complements the standard horizon profile chart. It provides a polar view of the sky, relating sun paths to the surveyed horizon.
Find your bearings
Section titled “Find your bearings”- North is 0°, east 90°, south 180° and west 270°.
- Directions around the circle represent azimuth.
- Concentric circles represent elevation above the horizon, from close to 0° at the outer edge to near the zenith at the center.
- Colored curves show sun paths for periods or months of the year. Hour labels indicate approximate positions throughout the day.
The area corresponding to the horizon profile shows the directions and elevations where obstacles were measured.
Identify potential shading
Section titled “Identify potential shading”Where a sun path crosses the area associated with the horizon profile, the sun may be blocked during that period. A curve above the profile does not, by itself, describe all energy losses: diffuse irradiation and calculation assumptions also matter.
For numerical results, see Energy, solar access indicators and irradiation charts.
What is this chart useful for?
Section titled “What is this chart useful for?”It provides a quick view of which parts of the sky the survey covers, when an obstruction may matter seasonally, and where additional measurements may be useful.
See Understand the horizon profile, Energy and production and Glossary.