At a glance
- Found in
- Calendars & Timekeeping
- Related
- Astronomical Day, Local Apparent Solar Time, Calendar, Julian Date
Solar Noon is the local meridian transit of the Sun.
A cycle or timeline schematic for comparing the named timekeeping concept.
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The story behind Solar Noon
Local noon was once set directly from the Sun before standard time zones synchronized clocks across wide regions.
Why Solar Noon matters
Longitude, time zone, daylight-saving rules, and the equation of time can move Solar Noon far from 12:00 on a clock.
How to read Solar Noon
Solar Noon speaks to sundials, shadow measurements, daily Sun altitude, and solar-energy planning.
Solar Noon in practice: an example
A city on the western edge of a time zone can experience Solar Noon well after 12:00 civil time.
Where readings of Solar Noon go wrong
It is a mistake to look directly at the Sun to determine transit; use safe projection, shadows, or calculated data.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- U.S. Naval Observatory: Rise, Set, and Twilight Definitions - Official definitions used for sunrise, sunset, refraction, and twilight calculations.
- NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory: Solar Calculator Glossary - NOAA definitions for solar geometry, atmospheric refraction, and civil, nautical, and astronomical twilight.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Calendars & Timekeeping
- Last updated
- 2026-09-26
Find today local solar noon
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More in Calendars & Timekeeping
- UTC Offset
- Barycentric Coordinate Time
- Civil Day
- DUT1
- Greenwich Mean Time
- Julian Calendar
- Lunar Calendar
- Proleptic Julian Calendar
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Common questions
What is Solar Noon?
Solar Noon is the instant when the Sun crosses the local meridian and reaches its greatest daily altitude.
What do people get wrong about Solar Noon?
It is a mistake to look directly at the Sun to determine transit; use safe projection, shadows, or calculated data.
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