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Daily Altitude

Daily Altitude detail tab page graphs an object's movement in altitude (and other optional items) over the course of a day. The scales depicted are: y-axis = degrees of altitude and x-axis = time of day in hours. Times are shown in the format selected in Preferences. The location used for the graph is determined by the location selected in the document.

Show Legend toggles the display of the graph's legend information. Click once to see the legend and again to dismiss it.

Show Options toggles the display of the option checkboxes. Click once to see the options list and again to dismiss it.

Twilight toggles the display of the background shading that is used to denote daylight conditions at a given time of day.

Moon Altitude toggles the display of the small yellow circles that denote the moon's altitude at a given time of day.

Directions toggles the display of the cardinal directions on the graph. These indicate when the object crosses a cardinal direction (due north, east, south or west).

Horizon toggles the display of the green line that represents the local horizon model (if any) at a given time of day.

Start at Midnight toggles the start time of the graph between Midnight (local or universal time) and Noon.

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Items Shown in the Graph

Blue line depicts the object's altitude at a given time.

Small yellow circles depict the altitude of the moon at a given time. Moon altitude indicators can be enabled and disabled by clicking Moon Altitude.

Green lines depict the local horizon model if one is defined for the selected location. Horizon model lines can be enabled and disabled by clicking Horizon. Note that the shape of horizon models may look distorted for objects at extreme declinations because the object's azimuth changes more quickly or slowly than objects near the celestial equator.

Background shading depicts daylight conditions for the day. The conditions shown are sun up, civil twilight, nautical twilight, astronomcal twilight and darkness. Select Show Legend to display the colors used to depict each condition. Background shading can be enabled and disabled by clicking Twilight.

Cardinal Direction labels (N, S, E, W) are shown on the top axis of the graph with vertical lines beneath them so that you can tell when the object crosses due north, east, west and south. Direction indicators can be enabled and disabled by clicking Directions.Some of these direction points may not be shown if the object does not cross a directional line of azimuth. For example a circumpolar object like Polarissima Borealis does not cross due east or west even though it is visible to northern hemisphere observers. It crosses the north azimuth line at upper and lower culmination.