Experimenting with the Wolfram Alpha data types, I discovered that Excel can predict when the Sun will rise at your location with amazing accuracy. Since the sunrise time is based on Latitude and Longitude of the viewer, this means that Excel must know where you are located, based on the I.P. address of your computer.
Transcript of the video:
Learn Excel from MrExcel podcast episode 2357.
Excel knows where you are. We are going on a field trip today.
About 25 feet that way. Let's get started.
In cell A1, type Sun. Come up here to Data Types. The new Wolfram Alpha data types.
Choose "Space" and that should resolve to our Sun. From there open the card.
Come all the way down here to the end to Sky Properties and add those to the grid.
Alright. Let's see what we have about the Sun. =B1.Dot Above the Horizon? Yes. Daily time above the horizon?
12.9 hours. Next sun rise. This is in UTC. 10:58.
That's weird. When I subtract four hours.
If you follow me on Facebook, I am shooting pictures of the sunrise every morning. I am well in tune with sunrise.
This number is eerily close to Merritt Island Florida's sunrise. Think about it.
If you're in New York City versus Merritt Island versus Seattle versus San Diego the Sun rises at a different time every day.
How is Wolfram Alpha getting this exactly?
So when I discovered this I took the laptop out to our launch viewing deck.
I set it up over a time lapse to watch this "Above the Horizon" field as the actual Sun rose above the horizon.
Let's take a look.
This macro is refreshing this data every 30 seconds. I want you to keep your eye on cell B3.
This is whether or not Wolfram Alpha says the Sun is above the horizon.
And, watch in that spot just to the right of our Hi-Spy Viewer for when the Sun comes up over the horizon. And...
it is right there. Now look back up at B3. It still says FALSE.
But within 30 seconds. it says TRUE. How do they know?
That that means that Excel is calculating the sunrise time based on your actual location.
So given that they really seem to be getting it right.
Is it just a coincidence? Somehow their data is based on my latitude?
I asked Microsoft and they say they're using the client IP address to figure out where you are. That goes into this calculation.
which makes this wild.
Think about satellites, the ISS, the planets.
You can get the the current location based on where you are. I am just the guy that brought you this news. I did not set that policy.
If you like hearing important news like this, then down below the video give me a thumbs up.
Give me a Like. While you're down there, Subscribe. And ring that bell.
Feel free to post any questions or comments down in the comments below.
My new book, MrExcel... You know it.
Click the "i" in the top right hand corner. I want to thank you for stopping by.
We'll see you next time for another netcast from MrExcel.
Excel knows where you are. We are going on a field trip today.
About 25 feet that way. Let's get started.
In cell A1, type Sun. Come up here to Data Types. The new Wolfram Alpha data types.
Choose "Space" and that should resolve to our Sun. From there open the card.
Come all the way down here to the end to Sky Properties and add those to the grid.
Alright. Let's see what we have about the Sun. =B1.Dot Above the Horizon? Yes. Daily time above the horizon?
12.9 hours. Next sun rise. This is in UTC. 10:58.
That's weird. When I subtract four hours.
If you follow me on Facebook, I am shooting pictures of the sunrise every morning. I am well in tune with sunrise.
This number is eerily close to Merritt Island Florida's sunrise. Think about it.
If you're in New York City versus Merritt Island versus Seattle versus San Diego the Sun rises at a different time every day.
How is Wolfram Alpha getting this exactly?
So when I discovered this I took the laptop out to our launch viewing deck.
I set it up over a time lapse to watch this "Above the Horizon" field as the actual Sun rose above the horizon.
Let's take a look.
This macro is refreshing this data every 30 seconds. I want you to keep your eye on cell B3.
This is whether or not Wolfram Alpha says the Sun is above the horizon.
And, watch in that spot just to the right of our Hi-Spy Viewer for when the Sun comes up over the horizon. And...
it is right there. Now look back up at B3. It still says FALSE.
But within 30 seconds. it says TRUE. How do they know?
That that means that Excel is calculating the sunrise time based on your actual location.
So given that they really seem to be getting it right.
Is it just a coincidence? Somehow their data is based on my latitude?
I asked Microsoft and they say they're using the client IP address to figure out where you are. That goes into this calculation.
which makes this wild.
Think about satellites, the ISS, the planets.
You can get the the current location based on where you are. I am just the guy that brought you this news. I did not set that policy.
If you like hearing important news like this, then down below the video give me a thumbs up.
Give me a Like. While you're down there, Subscribe. And ring that bell.
Feel free to post any questions or comments down in the comments below.
My new book, MrExcel... You know it.
Click the "i" in the top right hand corner. I want to thank you for stopping by.
We'll see you next time for another netcast from MrExcel.
