Thread by @N_Waters89

Hey everyone - remember this image that Trump tweeted yesterday showing the Iranian test site?



Lets see how accurately we can work out the time the test-site image was taken.

(Inspired by @trbrtc & @nktpnd discussion yesterday)

@trbrtc @nktpnd We can use details on the ground in the image the same way as marks on a sun dial.

I used two lines on the ground to the east which appear to be permanent.

The shadow from the eastern tower (yellow) appears to point directly at the junction of two of these lines (red).

@trbrtc @nktpnd We can use old sat imagery to get a better view of the angle of this shadow.

We can then work out the back bearing of the shadow (in orange).

This gives us the azimuth of the sun, or what angle it was at in the sky: ~226°.

(The blue line just helps with measuring)

@trbrtc @nktpnd We can then go to suncalc.org on 29 August (the day before Trump tweeted) and adjust the time until the azimuth (pink arrow) is ~226°.

Therefore the time that image was taken (if it was the 29th) was 14:31 local time, give or take a few minutes either side.

@trbrtc @nktpnd @DaveSchmerler and @ArmsControlWonk you might find this technique interesting, if you don't already use it.

@trbrtc @nktpnd @DaveSchmerler @ArmsControlWonk Where this could get interesting is using this time, the angle at which the image was taken, and the flightpath of the satellite USA 224 to establish whether USA 225 did indeed take this image.

https://twitter.com/M_R_Thomp/status/1167514988036218880?s=20