Sunsets, angles and amplitude

In looking at my photo from the other day, and my guess that the mountain in the second photograph was Mt. San Jacinto, I decided to use a little detective work to figure out what mountain it is.

Of course, I could probably just look on a map and guess, but that's not as fun, and directions and distances can be deceiving. Serendipitously, my shadow was pointing straight towards the mountain in the photograph.

The facts I gathered, some extraneous and not needed (and correct I hope!):
I was in a park that is about 34 degrees north latitude.
The photograph was taken a few days before the winter wolstice (we'll call it close enough).
The sun is hovering over 23.43 degrees south latitude at the winter solstice (the Tropic of Capricorn).
The sunset "travels" at 1041.67 miles-per-hour at the equator ("slower" as you go north).
The maximum amplitude of the sun for this latitude is 28 degrees north/south (according to: The Essential Wilderness Navigator, by David Seidman and Paul Cleveland). This means that the greatest difference from a true west sunset (270 degrees) at this latitude is 28 degrees.

Mt. San Jacinto is east-southeast of here, about 100 degrees. Can I rule it out?

Stay tuned for the answer.

Magic Time!

I had a lovely walk with my dog in the park today. Great views of snow on the mountains, just when the "sunset spotlight" was shining on the hills... I love it. The snow was down to maybe 3000'- although I'm not sure. That's Mt. San Jacinto in the distance with snow. These are pics from my blackberry- not bad!
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Experiment photos

Seeds of a new experiment

Call it first-experiment nerves... I planted some seeds on two hillside aspects- northeast and southwest, and for days I would check them but nothing was coming up! So much for the establishment of this "vicious" plant.

Microclimate may have a huge effect on whether this grass establishes or not. Thus, I've planted seeds, with permission, on a hillside near campus. Finally, I checked them on Thursday and some are up! Since this is a warm-climate grass, not surprisingly, the southwestern-facing slope (warmer) have popped up all over, while the northeast-facing slope seeds are just poking along.

I was a little afraid that they'd all washed away in the recent storm. It still seems possible, but at least a few have come up. Now I can stop being such a nervous nelly and get down to the science- biweekly visits and data collection. And more importantly, a lot less time spent planning, designing datasheets (surprisingly a lot of time), and worrying!
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