MadSci Network: Astronomy |
Erin,
The quick answer is that there *is* an equation that can be used with the information you mention to determine the length of sunlight in a day. Unfortunately, it's not a simple equation and uses a fair amount of spherical geometry, which is too difficult for me to explain here. However, there is an excellent web site on the length of day calculation and I strongly recommend it if you want all of the details. This site also includes a link to a Daylight Applet where you can use the toolbars to enter your coordinates and get the daylight information for any day you'd like.
I hope that sends you in the right direction,
Amber
Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on Astronomy.