Satellite Solar Panel Orientation

Now a compass tells you magnetic north and south but it does not show you true north and south.

Satellite solar panel orientation.

In this post we give a brief overview of satellite solar panels and arrays sharing listings of multiple products available on the global marketplace if you would like to skip the introductory material and instead get straight to the product listings please click here. The rule is that if you live in the southern hemisphere you should point your panels true north and if you live in the northern hemisphere you should point them true south. Usually this is the best direction because solar panels will receive direct light throughout the day. For the best results solar panels should be oriented towards the south.

This is because the sun is always in the southern half of the sky in the northern hemisphere. Orienting the pv panel in a direction and tilt to maximize its exposure to direct sunlight will optimize the collection efficiency. Unlike larger satellites where the surface area available on the external structures is much greater cubesats. In the northern hemisphere the general rule for solar panel placement is solar panels should face true south and in the southern true north.

There is a difference.