This question came due to and explanation in my son's instruction material for his 5th grade science studies: Is it scientifically correct to say that sunlight which reaches the earth's surface at a low angle (as in during wintertime) is "indirect sunlight"? Sunlight is considered direct if the sun is overhead and the angle of incidence is high (close or at 90 degrees), but is low angel sunlight just less direct as opposed to indirect? I think of indirect sunlight as reflected or dispersed sunlight.

I've never heard of the term "indirect sunlight". I would persoanlly have said that indirect sunlight would mean sunlight that has reached the planet by reflecting of another object (e.g. moonlight).

My understanding of the term would be that direct sunlight would be if you can see the sun from the target, if you can't see the sun then it's indirect... So light shining off of mirrors and hitting a target would be direct no mater the height of the sun, light shining off of a wall and hitting a target would be indirect. But I'm not familiar with any formal definition.