The Altitude of the Zenithal Sun

T | 'HE altitude of the sun is a factor of such vital importance to the geographer' that one would expect to be able to compute it rapidly for any place and any date. It seems, however, that the ordinary geographical textbook deals only with computations concerning the equinoxes and solstices, on which dates the sun is overhead at the equator and at one of the tropics respectively. The problem is to find a formula simple but accurate enough for ready use without, recourse to declination tables such as are found in the American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac or the British Nautical Almanac

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