Sun & sky
Minneapolis Sun Angle Explorer
See the Sun move across a Twin Cities skyline, look down from above, explore the seasons, and estimate clear-sky solar-panel potential. Move either slider to travel through the day or year.
Twin Cities solar laboratory
November 3, 2026
Downtown Minneapolis · 44.98°N, 93.27°W · Central Time
Landmarks are recognizable architectural illustrations arranged for context, not surveyed locations or a calibrated skyline photograph. Solar positions and compass bearings are calculated.
Equal daylight and darkness
10.08 HOURS OF DAYLIGHT
Closest ~12-hour daylight dates for Minneapolis in 2026:
These are approximately equal daylight and nighttime durations, not equality of incoming and outgoing solar energy. The astronomical equinoxes occur a few days apart from the local 12-hour daylight dates because of refraction and the Sun’s visible disk.
Solar radiation & rooftop energy
How much sunlight energy could we collect?
Daily clear-sky potential for Minneapolis, based on the selected date. These are modeled estimates, not measured solar radiation, actual weather, or a guaranteed solar-panel forecast.
Adjust from a small rooftop system to a larger home installation.
Assumes panels face due south (180°), with no shade.
Understanding these estimates
The calculation integrates modeled clear-sky sunlight across the day; roof energy also accounts for tilt and diffuse sky light. Panel output uses a simplified 80% system-performance factor. Clouds, haze, smoke, snow cover, temperature, shading, orientation, and equipment will change actual generation. Ground radiation is sunlight energy per square meter—not electricity delivered. Real-world solar estimates should use weather-based data such as NREL PVWatts or historical irradiance measurements.