The first research results from the Atlantic Sunset project have been revealed. It is a product of collaboration and study between the University of Santiago and the University of Seville, which allows us to know better the latest sunsets in Portugal, Spain, France, Ireland, and in associated countries like the UK and Norway. The main objective is to promote the West Coast as a tourist resource, contributing to offset out-migration and diversify economies while considering the carrying capacity and the nature of each particular landscape and community.
The study computed the solar declination on every day of the year 2024, as well as sunset times for every location and every calendar date in 2024 taking into account the equation of time, geographical coordinates, and the formula for sun height as a function of solar declination and time. The matrix developed was analyzed to provide extreme sunset by country and extreme sunset for the overall series of locations.
From now on, the partners of the Atlantic Sunset project can launch timed proposals that target specific characteristics of the locations with the latest sunset either at a country level or at a European level.
According to the study, Portugal will host still in 2024 two extreme sunsets in Cabo da Roca (30th of September) and in Cabo de São Vicente (20th of October).