TheRealEquator

ECUADOR SUN DIAL Oº O" O'

Found exactly on latitude 0°0’0” with a precision of one millimeter, the Ecuador Sun Dial is the first monument to the Middle of the World in the history of the Republic of Ecuador. It consists of a circular platform of river rock 54 meters in diameter arranged in a mosaic of light and dark tones in the form of the eight-pointed star known as the compass rose. In the center of this platform is found a 10 meter-high cylindrical post that serves as a gnome or indicator of the shadows that mark the corresponding hours and months according to the apparent transit of the sun.

The Ecuador Sun Dial was designed to fulfill various purposes in its function and its application. In its function, the Sun Dial doesn’t just mark the true hours, the hours marked by the shadows projected by gnome and the apparent position of the sun during the hours of sunlight, but also marks out the months of the year. The explication of the position of the shadow is always accompanied by a verbal description that the guides of the Sun Dial offer the visitors who daily visit this monument.

The design is based in dark and light tones. This makes the Sun Dial the first monument in the world that has been specifically designed to be observed and copied by satellites. This is due to the fact that the temperature the platform radiates shows the lines of light-toned stones with a cooler temperature than the background containing stones of darker-tones that reflect at a higher temperature. The purpose of this temperature difference is not only so that it can be copied from satellites in space but also to aid the expositors of Quitsato to create an awareness of the importance of sunlight for life, the absorption power and reflective properties of the different tones found on the surface of the earth, as well as the function of satellite technology.

The angles that make up the geometric design of the compass flower are given to us by the inclination of the Earth with respect to the elliptic or the orbital plane of the Earth around the Sun. For that reason, the platform itself also presents a lecture on celestial mechanics. The position of the solstices and equinoxes are presented in detail as well as their respective axis such as the poles and the axis of the elliptic.

In so far as the application of this construction, the objective is not only to give the Ecuadorian nation a monument that solidly represents their cultural identity, offers national and foreign visitors the opportunity to understand and comprehend the reason for being the Middle of the World and to place themselves directly on top of it. Another of the purposes of this project is to provide an educational space where we offer the opportunity to learn about basic astronomy, equatorial geography, geometry, trigonometry, satellite technology, history and local culture.

The most important objective of the Sun Dial is to rescue, renovate and dignify the concept of the Middle of the World upon which sits the base of the cultural identity and the history of the Ecuadorians, offering a place where visitors are treated with respect, with trustworthy and up-to-date information. The renovation of the concept of the Middle of the World envisions a perspective of our planet with equilibrium and unity.

This monument is promoted by the Quitsato Project, a non-profit project that destines its funds for the investigation of the equatorial line.

Recommendation: GPS Technology, Geographic Data WGS 84.

Links

The Quitsato Solar Cultural Museum and (finally) the actual Equator Line - October 19, 2007

quitsato.org

andre' salvador PHOTOGRAPHY

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Quitsa - To Project, the real middle of the earth

Ecuador Capital "Quito"

The Real Middle of The World

ibike Euador

Descubriendo Ecuador

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-91349345.html

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