What is the angle of the noon sun above the horizon called?

The angle of the noon sun above the horizon is known as solar altitude. This term specifically refers to how high the sun is in the sky at a given time, which is particularly relevant at solar noon when the sun reaches its highest point for the day. The solar altitude is influenced by several factors, including the geographic location and the time of year, as it varies due to the tilt of the Earth's axis and its orbit around the sun.

Understanding solar altitude is crucial for various applications such as solar energy generation, agriculture, and even architecture, where knowing how much sunlight a particular area receives can impact design and energy efficiency. The other concepts mentioned, such as solar radiation and solar position, refer to different aspects of solar energy and its effects rather than the specific angle of the sun above the horizon. The solar equinox, meanwhile, pertains to specific times of the year when day and night are approximately equal in duration, rather than a measure of the sun’s height.