Rotary Centennial Sundial Garden

Rotary Centennial Sundial Garden. Rotary Clubs of Springfield 100th Anniversary Project. , Rotary Sundial and Sunflower Calendar Explained, ① HUMAN SUNDIAL: , By standing on the month marked on the foot pad, you become the "gnomon" or pointer, and your shadow marks the time of day. Recycled pieces of granite serve as the hour markers. The light-colored ones mark Central Daylight Time (CDT) in summer, and dark-colored ones mark Central Standard Time (CST) in winter. In this image, a mother stands on the month marked June, and her sons note that her shadow falls on the 11:00 a.m. CDT marker (10:00 a.m. CST)., ② SOLAR SUNFLOWER CALENDAR: , This solar calendar is comprised of the 25-foot tall Sunflower Array and a 50-foot long Calendar Line. The Sunflower is formed from four solar panels that together generate one kilowatt of electricity to help power the park. The Solar Calendar line consists of black granite stones that mark the months. The Calendar Line extends straight north toward the Compass. The day of the year is marked by the shadow of the Bee as it crosses this calendar line at solar noon. In summer, when the sun is high in the sky, the shadow reaches its shortest length on the Summer Solstice (June 21). In winter, when the sun is lower in the southern sky, the shadow reaches its longest length at the Winter Solstice (December 21). The cycle repeats year after year. In the picture on the left taken on April 15, the mom and son watch the bee's shadow approach the Calendar Line at ten minutes before 1:00 p.m. CDT. Each day it crosses closer to the black granite marker below it with the inscription of April 21, and in six days it will cross its center., Overall Sundial concept and design by Robert Croteau , Sunflower metal art by Darren Miller of www.prairieornamentals.com, [Drawing reads] Southwind Park Sunflower Detail Four 250-watt solar panels, with micro-inverters on the back of the panels. generate 240 volt AC power for the park. Amber LED strip lights illuminate the petals at night. With the Bee at 25-feet high, the Bee's shadow makes its longest Calendar Line (49.43 feet) on December 21 at this latitude. If located further north, the line would be longer. [end of Detail], ③ VIEWING BENCHES and BOULDERS: , The Solstice/Equinox Circle Benches show you the alignments for their Sunrises and Sunsets beyond the Glacial Stones. Sit on a bench and read the round stone at your feet for which event will be in view. This image was taken from the Summer Solstice Sunrise Bench on June 21. The alignment extends across the Rotary Wheel, opposite bench, and boulder fifty feet from the center, toward the Summer Solstice sunrise. The boulders, moved here from the construction area of the I-72 and the MacArthur Street extension, were deposited during the Ice Age about 150,000 years ago. A solar calendar would have been accurate thousands of years ago and will be so into the future., ④ COMPASS , Even with the online directions and established roads that lead us where we want to go, it is important to know the cardinal directions (north, south, east, and west) and the Sun's positions during the day, rising in the east and setting in the west. Knowing the direction to the Sun, as the Earth rotates on its axis and revolves around the Sun throughout the day and seasons helps us understand Solar Geometry., The arms of this compass reach around the Earth gently holding the fragile life clinging to it. Let us do the same., By understanding the geometry of the Sun's path across the We often think of ourselves as large, living in boxes on what we perceive to be flat, solid ground. In fact, we are mere tiny specs on a huge round ball of rock floating in space around a massive ball of fire, that is but a speck in the rest of the galaxy, which itself is just a speck in the universe. Let's look up and be amazed., More Information at QR code above or: , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GxVTU3ZEPM by City of Springfield , and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r11fSZDetQ by Mike Matthews , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv2ZP5-OHaQ&t=16s