Solar Path Over Lake Huron

A solargraph at Lexington, MI, shows the path of the rising sun over Lake Huron during the second half of 2024. 

Original solargraph in sepia colors.

The image comes from a pinhole camera made from a 16-ounce aluminum can and a 5x7 sheet of black and white photographic paper.  The can was mounted on a railing with the pinhole open for several months. 

The original solargraph appears in sepia colors.  The lower arcs show the sun's path during winter months, and the higher arcs are the sun's path in the summer months.  Gaps in the arcs result from clouds.

I flipped the original horizontally and adjusted the colors to bring out landmark features in the foreground. 

Original is flipped horizontally and colors adjusted.

The solargraph image paired with a panorama photograph gives perspective on where the sun appears during the respective seasons. 

Solargraph paired with panorama photo of same scene.

The solar arcs are bright and distinct because direct light is falling on the black and white photographic paper.  Meanwhile, land features are fainter because they are the collective result of reflected sunlight built up over several months.

Landmarks in photo align with subtle solargraph features.

https://www.nightwise.org/lex