Solar & Daylight Data

Updated 2026-08-31

Sun Path: South Dublin, Ireland

How to research sun path for a specific site in South Dublin — 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 6697759). 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 South Dublin at 53.2903, -6.3415, the declination-only solar-noon altitude is approximately 60.1° at the June solstice, 36.7° at an equinox and 13.3° 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 6697759 in administrative area L, at 53.2903, -6.3415; replace it with the surveyed parcel point before relying on the result. As a transparent geometry check, declination-only solar-noon altitude is about 60.1° at the June solstice, 36.7° at an equinox and 13.3° 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 South Dublin?

South Dublin is represented here at approximately 53.2903, -6.3415 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 South Dublin site remain authoritative.

South Dublin monthly solar geometry check for sun path

Representative dateDeclinationSolar-noon altitudeGeometric daylightNoon shadow / height
21 January-20.14°16.57°8.072 h3.360
21 February-11.23°25.48°9.942 h2.098
21 March-0.40°36.31°11.928 h1.361
21 April+11.58°48.29°14.127 h0.891
21 May+20.14°56.85°15.928 h0.653
21 June+23.45°60.16°16.743 h0.574
21 July+20.44°57.15°15.999 h0.646
21 August+11.75°48.46°14.161 h0.886
21 September-0.20°36.51°11.964 h1.351
21 October-11.75°24.96°9.839 h2.149
21 November-20.44°16.27°8.001 h3.427
21 December-23.45°13.26°7.257 h4.244

South Dublin solar-geometry fingerprint at 53.2903, -6.3415

  • South Dublin, 21 January: declination -20.14°, noon altitude 16.57°, zenith 73.43°, geometric daylight 8.072 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 3.360.
  • South Dublin, 21 February: declination -11.23°, noon altitude 25.48°, zenith 64.52°, geometric daylight 9.942 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 2.098.
  • South Dublin, 21 March: declination -0.40°, noon altitude 36.31°, zenith 53.69°, geometric daylight 11.928 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 1.361.
  • South Dublin, 21 April: declination +11.58°, noon altitude 48.29°, zenith 41.71°, geometric daylight 14.127 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.891.
  • South Dublin, 21 May: declination +20.14°, noon altitude 56.85°, zenith 33.15°, geometric daylight 15.928 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.653.
  • South Dublin, 21 June: declination +23.45°, noon altitude 60.16°, zenith 29.84°, geometric daylight 16.743 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.574.
  • South Dublin, 21 July: declination +20.44°, noon altitude 57.15°, zenith 32.85°, geometric daylight 15.999 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.646.
  • South Dublin, 21 August: declination +11.75°, noon altitude 48.46°, zenith 41.54°, geometric daylight 14.161 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 0.886.
  • South Dublin, 21 September: declination -0.20°, noon altitude 36.51°, zenith 53.49°, geometric daylight 11.964 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 1.351.
  • South Dublin, 21 October: declination -11.75°, noon altitude 24.96°, zenith 65.04°, geometric daylight 9.839 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 2.149.
  • South Dublin, 21 November: declination -20.44°, noon altitude 16.27°, zenith 73.73°, geometric daylight 8.001 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 3.427.
  • South Dublin, 21 December: declination -23.45°, noon altitude 13.26°, zenith 76.74°, geometric daylight 7.257 hours, and vertical-object noon shadow ratio 4.244.

Harth computed the South Dublin fingerprint for latitude 53.2903° with the Cooper declination approximation, 90° - |latitude - declination| at solar noon, centre-to-centre sunrise hour angle and 1 / tan(altitude) shadow ratio. Longitude -6.3415° 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 6697759). 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 South Dublin establish?

The sun path record for South Dublin establishes a reproducible discovery point at 53.2903, -6.3415 (GeoNames ID 6697759, administrative area L) 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 South Dublin?

For the sun path record in South Dublin, replace the 53.2903, -6.3415 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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