Lahaina Noon

Lahaina Noon

Subsolar Point

The subsolar point on a planet is where its sun is perceived to be directly overhead (in zenith); that is where the sun’s rays are hitting the planet exactly perpendicular to its surface. It can also mean the point closest to the sun on an object in space, even though the sun might not be visible.

For planets with an orientation and rotation similar to the Earth’s, the subsolar point will move westward, circling the globe once a day, approximately moving along a circle of latitude. However, it will also move north and south between the tropics over the course of a year, so it is spiraling, like a helix.

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