Need help getting the most sun light from planet position

[ghofmann2]

So, I've started a base on a planet and realized that the sun is marking a small arc over the horizon at a small angle (maybe 30 to 45 degrees above the horizon). I assume that this is because I'm nearer to the pole than the equator.
Would I get more sun if I moved towards or away from the sun? I read that, if I was at the pole I would receive 24 hours of sun, but it seems counter-intuitive to move away from the sun to get more. I should note that I am in a mountainous region, but I'm at a high point in the range. My next step is to build a high tower to place the panels on, but I'm wondering if I should move my base towards the pole, which would be away from the midpoint of the suns arc, right?

[Loues.S.Cat]

The reason you get more light at the pole is because the sun is never behind the planet. you always see it as sitting on the horison.
While at the equator the sun will go behind the planet on a regular basis.
In the real world, the light at the pole is very weak while at the equator is is strong because of the relative amount of atmosphere that has to be passed through having a role in the scattering effect.
That does not apply here.

Ohh and before anyone point anything to do with this out, there is no true north or magnetic north on the SE planets. The only indicator of any poles is the sun rotation.

[ghofmann2]

So, to get more sun, I should move away from the mid point of the sun's arc, right?

[SpannerMonkey]

HIya, not 100% sure if the sun and light are following that accepted real world patterns, so take this as a guesstimate :)
If you move toward the equator you will get a more even balance between night and day and a better quality of light, the downside ( rl here) is that at the equator you have almost an equal night and day, 50/50 ish, and when the sun goes down, It's gone, this is due to the larger radius of the planet at that point cutting off the light.
Now at the poles you can have a full day period (rl 24hrs) of light, the planet being much smaller radius doesn't block the light as it does at the equator, although at times it will be very low quality diffuse light, partly due to the light lost be travelling through a lot more atmos before it shines on you

I know on the Earthlike the poles seem to be either well lit or in twilight, never really dark, whereas a base close to equator gets the full on darkness as the body of the planet eclipses( from your view point) the sun.
I hope that makes sense, it does to me, it has been a very very long day :)

Ninja'd by a pink cat :)

[ghofmann2]

Thanks Monkey. In game, the light is not diffused, so the poles would have the most light.

But, what about the midpoint between the pole and the equator? Would there be more light there than at the equator. Is the formula simply: the further from the equator you are, the more light you get?

[Loues.S.Cat]

The only reason we get a night and day cycle at the rotational poles is because the earth's rotational axis is on a tilt relative to the sun and it changes its sun relative facing as the earth moves about it's orbit.
If that tilt didn't exist there would be no day night cycle at the poles, and since I didn't specificly refferance earth or any planet like it I am technicly correct!
The best kind of corect!

Originally posted by ghofmann2:

Is the formula simply: the further from the equator you are, the more light you get?

Yup. (to an extent) Keep in mind rthe surface of the planet is uneven so mountains and things will have a significant effect on percieved daylight length and the further from the equator the more extreme the effect due to the relative angles involved.

[ghofmann2]

This only works if the planet is on the same plane that the sun orbits on. What if the planet was placed outside of the sun's orbital plane? Then there could be a dark side of the planet, right? How would I be able to tell if that was the case without outright asking the admin?

[Loues.S.Cat]

I think you over estimate the reality of the SE universe :p
The sun does not exist at any given position. it always appears to follow the same perspective-relative path through the sky.

Ouhhh, but that does still leave the possability of eclipses in play...
Hmmmm... I actualy want to see if any of the solar system setup worlds can experiance eclipses

[Torres]

In my survival playthrough I'd rather scuttle the landing ship and get to the pole, you'll get 30% nightime at most, build a small atmospheric shuttle, scuttle all, make the life support and keep the sun on your right for the north.

Also you'll get plenty of ice and with this script https://github.com/mezzodrinker/spas/wiki/How-to-use you'll get a lot of solar power to start anew.

[ghofmann2]

Originally posted by Loues.S.Cat:

I think you over estimate the reality of the SE universe :p
The sun does not exist at any given position. it always appears to follow the same perspective-relative path through the sky.

Ouhhh, but that does still leave the possability of eclipses in play...
Hmmmm... I actualy want to see if any of the solar system setup worlds can experiance eclipses

I'm not overestimating the reality of the SE Universe. I know the sun is rotating around the skybox, but not necessarily rotating around any particular planet, especially if they are placed in by the server admin. The planets in easy start may be on the orbit plane of the sun, but, in ctreative/space master mode, you can place a planet "above" that plane and then you'll have a dark side of the planet because the sun is rotating in a circle "below" the planet.

[Loues.S.Cat]

Ordinarily I'd take the time to test this just to verify it, however I feel confidant enough to say (and the game is currently broken for me... thanks Steam) that You are indeed overestimating the reality of this simulation because there is no solar plane. You can travel in any direction you want, as far as you want, and as long as you don't rotate your ship, the sun will allways be moving through the same ark relative to your perspective.
The sun does not exist. It has no location. It has no universe ralative point of refferance. Every single individual player sees it uniquely as being relative to their point of view.

[ghofmann2]

So, it rotates around each player, then. So, no matter what planet your on and no matter where it is placed in the world, the poles will always be the most well lit spot on the planet, right?

[Loues.S.Cat]

Yup.
It's quite the cost saving measure. you only need to calculate the suns apperant position relative to 0,0,0 orientation and you can easily calculate the exposure of solar panels and the like using quaternions rotations. Sunlight is always shining from a direction rather than a point, so as longas you maintain the same orientation, no matter what your position the angle from which the sun appears to be shining is constant :)

[ghofmann2]

Thanks, buddy. Still don't quite get it but I think I have the answer to my original question.