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Soon I'll start construction of the Summer Solstice Triangular Sun Shadow Casters. Also I will remake the Winter Solstice Circular Sun Shadow Casters. They will both be made out of wood, but this time I will apply a few coats of paint to hopefully make them last longer. Eventually they will be made of metal.
Today I finished making the Triangular Sun Shadow Casters, applying additional coats of gold spray paint on them.
At the SunRing, I then marked the locations of the Shadow Caster supports and marked how deep the supports have to be placed into the ground so that the Shadow Casters will line up properly when mounted on top of the supports. Tomorrw I'll complete the installation.
At the SunRing location here in San Diego County we have "May Gray" and "June Gloom" caused by the "Marine Layer" - low clouds which form along the coast in the afternoon then burn off the following morning. Sometimes the Marine Layer will persist all day. Only a few times in these two months will the skies be clear at sunrise. The chances of a sunrise at the time of the Summer Solstice are quite low, unfortunately.
Triangular Sun Shadow Caster genesis.
The Triangular Sun Shadow Caster set prior to painting.
Triangular Sun Shadow Caster set after painting.
Tools for installation with the Shadow Caster supports staged for installation along the Summer Solstice Line.
The Triangles will be installed on June 5 if all goes well
Also shown are 2 of the 4 Circular Shadow Casters
The Triangular Sun Shadow Casters >were installed on June 4th and 5th and they look good! I still need to improve the backdrop.
Unlike last December's winter solstice, there has been no opportunity to check out the shadow caster's shadows. Every morning heavy overcast! No let up is in the forecast for at least another week.
Summer Solstice Triangular Sun Shadow Casters installed!
The Triangular Sun Shadow Caster set sighting.
Some tweaking needed
Winter and Summer Shadow Casters!
Every morning June Gloom. On the 15th the sky was clear before sunrise, then some valley fog thickened, blocking the sunrise.
On June 15th, close, but no luck.
Summer Solstice arrived on June 20, 2024 at 1:50 PM local time. The mornings have continued to be cloudy / foggy. Even today. The forecast gives a good chance of a visible sunrise within the next few days. Maybe I'll see the triangular shadows in close proximity.
June Gloom shadow doom.
Sunshine! Woke up early and saw stars and no clouds anywhere near where the sunrise was to take place! Being three days after solstice and never having a chance to witness and calibrate the triangular shadow casters I still had high hopes that the viewing would be good.
Sunrise! 5:51 AM
First light! 5:52 AM
The slope of the Shadow Casters not quite steep enough, but very close!
Both the summer and winter shadow casters with shadows 5:53 AM
Stronger shadows 5:53 AM
Triangular Summer Solstice Sun Shadow Casters 5:54 AM
With another sunny morning, I decided to get one last set of pictures for this period.
Shortly before sunrise 5:46 AM
The Triangular Sun Shadow Casters 5:51 AM
Early shadows 5:53 AM
Shadow Casters 5:53 AM
Parting photo 5:55 AM
I plan to re-make the shadow casters larger and out of metal... someday.
©2024 John S. Stokes III