Analemma : "8"-shape figure drawed by the different positions of the sun recorded at a certain point in time (at 24 hour intervals) and from the same location in the course of the calendar year. This figure is not particular to Earth and can be visible, with other shapes (loop or teardrop) from other planets of the solar system.
This article is a scoop and a true challenge on the technical side as never before such result has been achieved.
Let's judge by yourself : this is the first time that one recorded an analemma of the Sun extending along a calendar year, this is the first time that one pictured analemmas monthly during a full year, this is the first time that one pictured an analemma at meridian, this is the first time that one created a composite of 11 analemmas, this is the first time that one pictured a double analemma on a single frame as this is the first time one pictured a triple analemma, the all performance having been executing by only one and same person ! Last but not least, all these analemmas are symmetrical...
Having read and implicitly challenged that the analemma is one of the most difficult and demanding astronomical phenomenon to image, I immediately set out on such a task from my cottage villa just northeast of Athens, Greece (38.317° N, 23.800° E). As noted by Senior Editor Dennis di Cicco, "Most people say you have to be nuts to attempt a year-long exposure of the Sun. Those who have succeeded will probably agree" (S&T, Mar/2000, pg 135).
Although I was eager to start on this project immediately upon reading the article (and challenge) by di Cicco, I would have to wait until the summer of 2001 when major construction work around my cottage would be complete.
Regrettably, six months and roughly 200 total multi-exposures into the project (Dec/2001), adverse winter weather not experienced in four decades led to my missing an exposure which brought a disappointing end to my first attempt at replicating this unique feat.
Having remembered that none one of the analemmas listed in the di Cicco article had been completed over twelve consecutive months of the same calendar year, I immediately reset my sites on a Jan/2002 restart using the trials and tribulations acquired during the first unsuccessful attempt. With the guiding force of "Απόλλων", son of Zeus and Leto and god of light (and the sun) in ancient Greek mythology, I was able to finally embrace the challenge inspired by the di Cicco article eleven times over the course of twelve consecutive months involving two Canon A-1 and five Canon AE-1 manual focus cameras and nearly 500 final multiple-exposures of our closest star.
Furthermore, this Herculian effort and triumph, resembling a Sisyphean task a number of times thanks to numerous accidental film advances, was instrumental in providing the impetus for a return odyssey for three additional and very special analemmas projects currently under way involving 129, 139 and 52 multi-exposures each, respectively, also on a single piece of 35-mm film (24x36 mm).
Source!
cool ay?
