Solar & Daylight Data

Updated 2026-08-31

Sun Path: Ennis, Ireland

How to research sun path for a specific site in Ennis — the controlling authority, source documents, and checks to run before you rely on a number.

Last updated August 31, 2026 · Location data from the [GeoNames IE dump](https://download.geonames.org/export/dump/IE.zip) (CC BY 4.0, snapshot 2026-08-31, GeoNames ID 2964405). Regulatory starting point: [Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the local building-control authority](https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/building-standards/). 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.

Direct answer

For Ennis at 52.8436, -8.9864, the declination-only solar-noon altitude is approximately 60.6° at the June solstice, 37.2° at an equinox and 13.7° 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 2964405 in administrative area M, at 52.8436, -8.9864; replace it with the surveyed parcel point before relying on the result. As a transparent geometry check, declination-only solar-noon altitude is about 60.6° at the June solstice, 37.2° at an equinox and 13.7° at the December solstice. Representative 21st-day geometry ranges from about 7.3 hours in December to 16.7 hours in June; 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 sun path record.

Prepared by Harth · Prepared from the cited location and country sources; local project inputs remain unreviewed · Published 2026-08-26 · Updated 2026-08-31.

What must be verified for Ennis?

Ennis is represented here at approximately 52.8436, -8.9864 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 sun path be established?

  1. Fix the surveyed site and local time basis.
  2. Select an authoritative weather source or a named solar-position algorithm.
  3. Record period, percentile or scenario and units.
  4. Test sensitivity to elevation, exposure, urban form and horizon.
  5. Save the source file, retrieval date and checker in the model record.
InputProject-specific evidenceQA question
Sitesurveyed coordinates, elevation and horizonDoes the point represent the building?
Weather/solar methodnamed dataset, algorithm, period and time basisAre station, time zone and units explicit?
Design scenariocurrent and future scenario agreed by the teamIs an average being mistaken for an extreme?
Complianceadopted local document and editionWas applicability confirmed with the authority?

What are the limits of this worksheet?

This sun-path-workflow page is a project-starting worksheet, not a design value or approval. The controlling authority and qualified professionals for the Ennis site remain authoritative.

Ennis monthly solar geometry check for sun path

Representative dateDeclinationSolar-noon altitudeGeometric daylightNoon shadow / height
21 January-20.14°17.02°8.141 h3.267
21 February-11.23°25.93°9.976 h2.057
21 March-0.40°36.75°11.929 h1.339
21 April+11.58°48.74°14.091 h0.877
21 May+20.14°57.29°15.859 h0.642
21 June+23.45°60.61°16.655 h0.563
21 July+20.44°57.60°15.928 h0.635
21 August+11.75°48.91°14.125 h0.872
21 September-0.20°36.95°11.964 h1.329
21 October-11.75°25.40°9.875 h2.106
21 November-20.44°16.71°8.072 h3.330
21 December-23.45°13.71°7.345 h4.100

Ennis solar-geometry fingerprint at 52.8436, -8.9864

  • Ennis, 21 January: declination -20.14°, noon altitude 17.02°, zenith 72.98°, geometric daylight 8.141 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 3.267.
  • Ennis, 21 February: declination -11.23°, noon altitude 25.93°, zenith 64.07°, geometric daylight 9.976 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 2.057.
  • Ennis, 21 March: declination -0.40°, noon altitude 36.75°, zenith 53.25°, geometric daylight 11.929 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 1.339.
  • Ennis, 21 April: declination +11.58°, noon altitude 48.74°, zenith 41.26°, geometric daylight 14.091 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.877.
  • Ennis, 21 May: declination +20.14°, noon altitude 57.29°, zenith 32.71°, geometric daylight 15.859 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.642.
  • Ennis, 21 June: declination +23.45°, noon altitude 60.61°, zenith 29.39°, geometric daylight 16.655 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.563.
  • Ennis, 21 July: declination +20.44°, noon altitude 57.60°, zenith 32.40°, geometric daylight 15.928 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.635.
  • Ennis, 21 August: declination +11.75°, noon altitude 48.91°, zenith 41.09°, geometric daylight 14.125 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.872.
  • Ennis, 21 September: declination -0.20°, noon altitude 36.95°, zenith 53.05°, geometric daylight 11.964 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 1.329.
  • Ennis, 21 October: declination -11.75°, noon altitude 25.40°, zenith 64.60°, geometric daylight 9.875 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 2.106.
  • Ennis, 21 November: declination -20.44°, noon altitude 16.71°, zenith 73.29°, geometric daylight 8.072 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 3.330.
  • Ennis, 21 December: declination -23.45°, noon altitude 13.71°, zenith 76.29°, geometric daylight 7.345 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 4.100.

Harth computed the Ennis fingerprint for latitude 52.8436° with the Cooper declination approximation, 90° - |latitude - declination| at solar noon, centre-to-centre sunrise hour angle and 1 / tan(altitude) shadow ratio. Longitude -8.9864° is retained for a later civil-time conversion; this screen does not perform that conversion. See NOAA's solar calculation details. Atmospheric refraction, terrain, facade azimuth and obstructions remain outside this first-pass comparison.

Sources and method

Location data from the GeoNames IE dump (CC BY 4.0, snapshot 2026-08-31, GeoNames ID 2964405). Regulatory starting point: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the local building-control 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.

Frequently asked questions

What does the sun path record for Ennis establish?

The sun path record for Ennis establishes a reproducible discovery point at 52.8436, -8.9864 (GeoNames ID 2964405, administrative area M) and a Ireland source path. It does not establish a final project value, approval or parcel decision.

What must be replaced before using this sun path workflow for a project in Ennis?

For the sun path record in Ennis, replace the 52.8436, -8.9864 city reference with the surveyed site or parcel, identify the competent local authority, and verify the current documents under Building Regulations and Technical Guidance Documents. Record the edition, retrieval date, units, assumptions and named checker before relying on the result.

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