Solar & Daylight Data

Updated 2026-08-31

Sun Path: Lang'ata, Kenya

How to research sun path for a specific site in Lang'ata — 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 KE dump](https://download.geonames.org/export/dump/KE.zip) (CC BY 4.0, snapshot 2026-08-31, GeoNames ID 8449763). Regulatory starting point: [National Construction Authority and the applicable county government](https://www.nca.go.ke/). 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 Lang'ata at -1.3666, 36.7332, the declination-only solar-noon altitude is approximately 65.2° at the June solstice, 88.6° at an equinox and 67.9° 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 8449763 in administrative area 05, at -1.3666, 36.7332; replace it with the surveyed parcel point before relying on the result. As a transparent geometry check, declination-only solar-noon altitude is about 65.2° at the June solstice, 88.6° at an equinox and 67.9° at the December solstice. Representative 21st-day geometry ranges from about 11.9 hours in June to 12.1 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 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 Lang'ata?

Lang'ata is represented here at approximately -1.3666, 36.7332 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 Lang'ata site remain authoritative.

Lang'ata monthly solar geometry check for sun path

Representative dateDeclinationSolar-noon altitudeGeometric daylightNoon shadow / height
21 January-20.14°71.23°12.067 h0.340
21 February-11.23°80.14°12.036 h0.174
21 March-0.40°89.04°12.001 h0.017
21 April+11.58°77.05°11.963 h0.230
21 May+20.14°68.50°11.933 h0.394
21 June+23.45°65.18°11.921 h0.462
21 July+20.44°68.19°11.932 h0.400
21 August+11.75°76.88°11.962 h0.233
21 September-0.20°88.84°12.001 h0.020
21 October-11.75°79.61°12.038 h0.183
21 November-20.44°70.93°12.068 h0.346
21 December-23.45°67.92°12.079 h0.406

Lang'ata solar-geometry fingerprint at -1.3666, 36.7332

  • Lang'ata, 21 January: declination -20.14°, noon altitude 71.23°, zenith 18.77°, geometric daylight 12.067 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.340.
  • Lang'ata, 21 February: declination -11.23°, noon altitude 80.14°, zenith 9.86°, geometric daylight 12.036 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.174.
  • Lang'ata, 21 March: declination -0.40°, noon altitude 89.04°, zenith 0.96°, geometric daylight 12.001 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.017.
  • Lang'ata, 21 April: declination +11.58°, noon altitude 77.05°, zenith 12.95°, geometric daylight 11.963 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.230.
  • Lang'ata, 21 May: declination +20.14°, noon altitude 68.50°, zenith 21.50°, geometric daylight 11.933 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.394.
  • Lang'ata, 21 June: declination +23.45°, noon altitude 65.18°, zenith 24.82°, geometric daylight 11.921 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.462.
  • Lang'ata, 21 July: declination +20.44°, noon altitude 68.19°, zenith 21.81°, geometric daylight 11.932 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.400.
  • Lang'ata, 21 August: declination +11.75°, noon altitude 76.88°, zenith 13.12°, geometric daylight 11.962 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.233.
  • Lang'ata, 21 September: declination -0.20°, noon altitude 88.84°, zenith 1.16°, geometric daylight 12.001 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.020.
  • Lang'ata, 21 October: declination -11.75°, noon altitude 79.61°, zenith 10.39°, geometric daylight 12.038 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.183.
  • Lang'ata, 21 November: declination -20.44°, noon altitude 70.93°, zenith 19.07°, geometric daylight 12.068 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.346.
  • Lang'ata, 21 December: declination -23.45°, noon altitude 67.92°, zenith 22.08°, geometric daylight 12.079 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.406.

Harth computed the Lang'ata fingerprint for latitude -1.3666° with the Cooper declination approximation, 90° - |latitude - declination| at solar noon, centre-to-centre sunrise hour angle and 1 / tan(altitude) shadow ratio. Longitude 36.7332° 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 KE dump (CC BY 4.0, snapshot 2026-08-31, GeoNames ID 8449763). Regulatory starting point: National Construction Authority and the applicable county government. 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 Lang'ata establish?

The sun path record for Lang'ata establishes a reproducible discovery point at -1.3666, 36.7332 (GeoNames ID 8449763, administrative area 05) and a Kenya 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 Lang'ata?

For the sun path record in Lang'ata, replace the -1.3666, 36.7332 city reference with the surveyed site or parcel, identify the competent local authority, and verify the current documents under National Building Code and county development-control requirements. Record the edition, retrieval date, units, assumptions and named checker before relying on the result.

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