Shadow study calculator

Calculate sun angles and shadow projections for any location

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The Shadow Study Calculator helps architects and urban planners analyze how buildings cast shadows throughout the day and year. Essential for environmental impact assessments and solar access studies.

Shadow studies are often required for zoning approvals, especially when new construction may impact neighboring properties' sunlight access. This calculator determines sun altitude and azimuth angles for any location and date.

Enter your coordinates, date, and time to calculate precise sun position. Then input building heights to determine shadow lengths and directions for design analysis and community presentations.

Features

Everything you need

Sun altitude and azimuth calculations
Shadow length projections
Any worldwide location support
Date and time flexibility
Seasonal comparison views
Building height inputs
Solar noon determination

How it works

Simple workflow

1
Enter the project latitude and longitude
2
Select the date for shadow analysis
3
Choose specific times or hourly intervals
4
Input building heights to study
5
Review shadow lengths and directions

Use cases

Built for real-world scenarios

Zoning review submissions

Generate shadow studies required for environmental impact and zoning variance applications.

Solar access analysis

Evaluate how new construction affects neighboring properties' daylight and solar gain.

Park and plaza design

Optimize outdoor space comfort by understanding shadow patterns throughout the year.

Solar panel placement

Identify shading from adjacent structures to optimize photovoltaic system design.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Shadow length = Object height ÷ tan(sun altitude angle). At 45° sun altitude, shadows equal object height. Lower angles create longer shadows—at 20° altitude, shadows are about 2.7× object height.

Shadows are longest at sunrise and sunset (when the sun is lowest) and during winter months (when the sun's path is lower in the sky). Summer solstice has the shortest midday shadows.

Solar noon is when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky, directly due south (in the northern hemisphere). This is when shadows are shortest and point true north.

Higher latitudes experience lower sun angles, creating longer shadows year-round. At the equator, the midday sun can be directly overhead (no shadow). At 45° latitude, the sun never exceeds about 68° altitude.

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We're always looking to improve our calculators. If you have ideas for new features, improvements, or found something that could work better, we'd love to hear from you.

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