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2020 Captured: Making Waves, Aloft, Sundial

In a single image, how could you capture the first six months of 2020 with its global changes? Several solargraphs mounted from the 2019 December solstice through the 2020 June solstice reveal that passage of time. Here are three initial results, with the solar arcs of each solargraph paired with a cell phone camera's photograph in panorama mode.

Making Waves

The Civil Rights Heritage Center in South Bend, IN, "transformed a once-segregated city swimming pool into an active learning center. It explores the civil rights struggles of the past so people can take action in the present and build a better future."

The former natatorium in the foreground is framed by the arcs of the sun. The top line denotes the day the can was removed, June 19--the Juneteenth celebration of 2020.

Making Waves-solargraph paired with panorama

Aloft

Aloft South Bend stands as the tallest building in the city, topped by an antenna with beacon. The top line of the sun marks the day the solargraph was recovered, June 19, coinciding with the first day the stylish hotel resumed its regular service since mid-March 2020.

Aloft solargraph paired with panorama

Sundial

The gnomon of a sundial is silhouetted by the rising sun like a stealthy shark fin. The shadow cast by the straightedge denotes the time, though here the upright gnomon appears slightly curved because of distortions in the solargraph image and accompanying panorama.

Clearly shown is how the rising sun's position along the eastern horizon moves northward from winter solstice to summer solstice. Because 2020 is a leap year, somewhere among the solar arcs is February 29, 2020.

Sundial solargraph paired with panorama

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