What is the typical range of values for sun altitude?

The typical range of values for sun altitude is from 0 to 90 degrees. Sun altitude refers to the angle of the sun above the horizon, where 0 degrees indicates that the sun is on the horizon (sunrise or sunset), and 90 degrees means the sun is directly overhead (zenith). This range is crucial for various applications in geographic information science, including solar energy calculations, understanding climate patterns, and modeling shadows cast by objects.

Values above 90 degrees or below 0 degrees would not be meaningful in the context of sun altitude, as they would not correspond to physically observable positions of the sun in the sky. When considering the sun's trajectory from the horizon through the sky, the altitude ceases to hold significance beyond these defined limits, thereby making the 0 to 90 degree range the appropriate choice.