One-Month Capture of the Sun

Ruth Craft captured a one-month exposure of the sun at Bendix Woods County Park using a simple pinhole camera called a solargraph. The image was a trial for a series of Anniversary Solargraphs that celebrate Indiana's 200th birthday. Three distinct sets of arcing lines indicate the solargraph can, originally mounted on a telephone pole, somehow moved and then was repositioned.

The upper solar arch sweeps over the trees that denote the profile of the horizon. On the bottom of the image is the foreground road, seemingly curving because of the distortion of the projection. The solargraph started out quite well. However, after the fallen can was put back in place two times, the abbreviated second and third swaths show the resumed exposures of the sun were not aligned with the original placement. There is no viewfinder with a solargraph, so once it is moved you're best bet is simply to cut your losses and see what you've got.

This and other solargraph cans were placed along the route of the Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay as it wended its way through St. Joseph County, with the St. Joseph County Bicentennial Birthday Bash and sungazing being at Bendix Woods County Park.