SunPlanner · Element redesign · Incidence Mark

Light‑Catch — how much sun each array is actually drinking

Available sunlight pours in from the left. Each array opens an intake aperture by the amount it is aimed at the sun. The light that makes it through is the captured beam: long, dense and bright when dead‑on, a thin dim sliver when off‑axis. Aim quality reads from length, density, slit height, a state word and the catch number — never from color alone.

01 Live · in context & zoomed Same element, two scales. It updates every minute as the sun crosses the sky — each array drinks more or less.

At dashboard scale

Falcon Heights, TX—

Light‑catch sun —

3 arrays · live

At a comfortable zoom

Light‑catch · per array sun —

› available sun

02 Three arrays · three aim qualities Frozen for comparison. Read them with the brightness turned off in your head — the length and density still tell the whole story.

clock— | sun—

Length = catch

How far the captured beam reaches across the lane. Full lane means dead‑on; a short stub means most of the sun is missing the panel face.

Density = quality

A solid beam is clean, dead‑on light. As aim degrades the beam breaks into sparse ribs — the same cue works with the color removed.

Slit + word + number

The aperture gap opens wide or nearly shuts. A state word (DEAD‑ON / SLIGHT / WIDE), a stacked glyph, and the catch % all say it without hue.

Living motion. The captured beam, slit height and catch number re‑settle every sim‑minute as the sun arcs; rays drift gently (transform/opacity only, no layout).
Off‑grid friendly. In the app this pauses off‑screen and honors reduced‑motion (try the button) — the demo runs it so the feel is visible.
Color‑blind safe. Every reading is carried by length, density, slit height, a word, a glyph and a number — lime is decoration, never the message.