Solar & Daylight Data
Daylight & Orientation: Cairns, Australia
How to research daylight & orientation for a specific site in Cairns — the controlling authority, source documents, and checks to run before you rely on a number.
Last updated September 2, 2026 · Location data from the [GeoNames AU dump](https://download.geonames.org/export/dump/AU.zip) (CC BY 4.0, snapshot 2026-08-31, GeoNames ID 2172797). Regulatory starting point: [Australian Building Codes Board and the applicable state or territory authority](https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/). Figures are illustrative — verify against the current locally adopted edition for the site. Solar-method context: [NOAA Solar Calculation Details](https://gml.noaa.gov/grad/solcalc/calcdetails.html); the Harth monthly table uses a simpler declination and geometric-daylight approximation whose stated limitations must be retained. Project-date refinement reference: [NREL Solar Position Algorithm](https://midcdmz.nrel.gov/spa/).
Direct answer
For Cairns at -16.9237, 145.7661, the declination-only solar-noon altitude is approximately 49.6° at the June solstice, 73.1° at an equinox and 83.5° at the December solstice. Refine these geometry checks with the project date, civil time, facade azimuth, terrain and local horizon. The reproducible location record is GeoNames ID 2172797 in administrative area 04, at -16.9237, 145.7661; replace it with the surveyed parcel point before relying on the result. As a transparent geometry check, declination-only solar-noon altitude is about 49.6° at the June solstice, 73.1° at an equinox and 83.5° at the December solstice. Representative 21st-day geometry ranges from about 11.0 hours in June to 13.0 hours in December; this excludes atmospheric refraction, terrain and obstruction effects. The cited national authority is a discovery starting point; current local documents and a named qualified reviewer control project use of this daylight and building orientation record.
Prepared by Harth · Topic-specific calculated asset and fresh SERP brief passed editorial screening; page remains noindex pending the independent content, evidence, similarity and link gates · Published 2026-08-26 · Updated 2026-09-02.
What must be verified for Cairns?
Cairns is represented here at approximately -16.9237, 145.7661 for discovery and workflow planning. A project address, parcel, elevation, exposure, authority, and submission date must replace that city-centre reference before design use.
How should daylight and building orientation be established?
- Fix the surveyed site and local time basis.
- Select an authoritative weather source or a named solar-position algorithm.
- Record period, percentile or scenario and units.
- Test sensitivity to elevation, exposure, urban form and horizon.
- Save the source file, retrieval date and checker in the model record.
| Input | Project-specific evidence | QA question |
|---|---|---|
| Site | surveyed coordinates, elevation and horizon | Does the point represent the building? |
| Weather/solar method | named dataset, algorithm, period and time basis | Are station, time zone and units explicit? |
| Design scenario | current and future scenario agreed by the team | Is an average being mistaken for an extreme? |
| Compliance | adopted local document and edition | Was applicability confirmed with the authority? |
What are the limits of this worksheet?
This daylight-workflow page is a project-starting worksheet, not a design value or approval. The controlling authority and qualified professionals for the Cairns site remain authoritative.
Cairns monthly daylight-orientation ledger
| Representative date | Geometric daylight | Solar sunrise | Solar sunset | Sunrise hour angle | Noon bearing | Change from prior month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 January | 12.854 h | 05.57 | 18.43 | 96.41° | 180.0° | -0.157 h |
| 21 February | 12.462 h | 05.77 | 18.23 | 93.46° | 0.0° | -0.393 h |
| 21 March | 12.016 h | 05.99 | 18.01 | 90.12° | 0.0° | -0.445 h |
| 21 April | 11.523 h | 06.24 | 17.76 | 86.43° | 0.0° | -0.493 h |
| 21 May | 11.146 h | 06.43 | 17.57 | 83.59° | 0.0° | -0.378 h |
| 21 June | 10.989 h | 06.51 | 17.49 | 82.42° | 0.0° | -0.157 h |
| 21 July | 11.132 h | 06.43 | 17.57 | 83.49° | 0.0° | +0.143 h |
| 21 August | 11.516 h | 06.24 | 17.76 | 86.37° | 0.0° | +0.384 h |
| 21 September | 12.008 h | 06.00 | 18.00 | 90.06° | 0.0° | +0.492 h |
| 21 October | 12.484 h | 05.76 | 18.24 | 93.63° | 0.0° | +0.476 h |
| 21 November | 12.868 h | 05.57 | 18.43 | 96.51° | 180.0° | +0.384 h |
| 21 December | 13.011 h | 05.49 | 18.51 | 97.58° | 180.0° | +0.143 h |
Orientation checks prompted by the Cairns ledger
The representative daylight span runs from 10.989 hours on 21 June to 13.011 hours on 21 December. Solar sunrise and sunset are expressed in apparent solar time, not a time-zone clock. The noon-bearing column is a true-north azimuth screen and becomes unstable when the sun passes close to zenith.
For Cairns at -16.9237°, 145.7661°, test each occupied facade against the actual horizon, adjacent buildings, glazing, room depth and target illuminance. This ledger describes geometric availability only; it does not estimate irradiance, daylight autonomy, glare or energy. Refine project-date positions with the NREL SPA.
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Sources and method
Location data from the GeoNames AU dump (CC BY 4.0, snapshot 2026-08-31, GeoNames ID 2172797). Regulatory starting point: Australian Building Codes Board and the applicable state or territory authority. Figures are illustrative — verify against the current locally adopted edition for the site. Solar-method context: NOAA Solar Calculation Details; the Harth monthly table uses a simpler declination and geometric-daylight approximation whose stated limitations must be retained. Project-date refinement reference: NREL Solar Position Algorithm.
Source links
Frequently asked questions
What does the daylight and building orientation record for Cairns establish?
The daylight and building orientation record for Cairns establishes a reproducible discovery point at -16.9237, 145.7661 (GeoNames ID 2172797, administrative area 04) and a Australia source path. It does not establish a final project value, approval or parcel decision.
What must be replaced before using this daylight and building orientation workflow for a project in Cairns?
For the daylight and building orientation record in Cairns, replace the -16.9237, 145.7661 city reference with the surveyed site or parcel, identify the competent local authority, and verify the current documents under National Construction Code plus state and territory variations. Record the edition, retrieval date, units, assumptions and named checker before relying on the result.
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