This subject is one that I've found is little understood by most people, but is also a subject that I've found to be fascinating, as you'll see.
What is an analemma, anyway? One place to check is the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition, which gives the following definition, in part: "a plot or graph of the position of the sun in the sky at a certain time of day (as noon) at one locale measured throughout the year that has the shape of a figure 8;"
Now, if you're like me, you've probably seen that funny looking figure 8 on some globes many times. It's usually located out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. I had seen that figure 8 who knows how many times, but never knew what it was until one day I decided to investigate until I clearly understood what it was. Once I understood what it was, I started sharing that information with people I knew. And to help make it easier to remember the name of that funny looking figure 8 out there in the Pacific Ocean, I coined the phrase "the dilemma of the analemma".
The definition above says that it is marked to show the declination of the sun. "Declination of the sun" is a fancy phrase that simply means that the analemma is a figure that is marked to show where the sun's rays are perpendicular to the earth's surface at any time during the year.
In September, 1989, a number of years after becoming aware of what the analemma was, I came across the photograph below that, to me, is the most incredible multiple exposure photograph that I've ever seen!!! It was taken by Dennis di Cicco. You can also find out more about Dennis and the photograph by going to Google.com or Yahoo.com and entering "Dennis di Cicco" in the Search window. One particularly interesting site used to be: http://www.analemma.de/deutsch/analem.html, but it appears not to be currently available. There appeared to be a very detailed explanation of Dennis' efforts. The only problem is that it was written in German. I received an English translation of the material from a visitor to this page. To read this English translation, click here.
I wanted to share this amazing photograph with you, because I seriously doubt that you have seen anything like it before. What is so neat about it is that it visually confirms the exact shape and proportion of the figure 8 that is shown on some globes.
So, please enjoy the photograph. Give some thought as to what the author of that picture had to do to be able to create the photograph, and share this knowledge with others, especially students.
Also, take a look here as well as at this amazing series of analemma photographs, as well as this explanation. Enjoy!!!
