11/24/2002: Solar pyramid
 

http://cellar.org/2002/solarpyramid.jpg

Over $2 million is set to go into this thing. This is the Solar Pyramid, or rather a model of what will be the Solar Pyramid when it's done being built next summer in Derbyshire England.

No, it's art.

And once it's done it will become the world's "largest operational timepiece". One of its designers (it took two guys to think of this) says that he feels it's wonderful that modern art can be useful, and that this piece will teach centuries of people basic science.

I guess, if they can keep it up.

One alarming note: they've decided that it will be visible to over 45,000 vehicles per hour. I find this alarming because it's a measurement of volume that is very rarely used to describe art.

"Hey let's drive past the pyramid."

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_690397.html

Let's see - its next to the M 1, which means they can keep track of the accident rate as speeding motorists (on the wrong side of the road) view the "sculpture". And think about the reflection problem...

Ooh
 

This looks it will be so incredibly cool. I recently went walking around under the St. Louis Arch, which I think might be somewhat similar. This looks like it will be a lot of fun to walk around too.

Re: Ooh
 

Hmmm...the most I ever saw off the Arch was a glowing effect when the sun hits it just right. It could be due to the type of steel used to construct it, but I've never seen a prism effect before...though that would be cool.

This reminds me of a piece of "art" that was built in Notingham (I think, may have been Birmingham tho).

The Notingham art was basically a giant upside down silver dome. So it looked like a giant wok or a giant satellite dish. But there was a snag....

Apparently on a really hot summers day (yeah, like they ever happen over here!) it reflected and concentrated so much energy from the sun that it was potent enough to fry a bird mid flight!! Now I would have loved to have seen that!!!

So they had to put a giant shade over the thing. Which begs the question - why even bother at all? :rolleyes:

This is an obvious fake. look at the blow up for example.

http://www.nova.edu/~thomasph/edit.jpg

First off notice the <GREEN ARROW> it clearly shows that the shadow of the the structure doesn't line up with the structure.

Secondly notice the <RED CIRCLED PORTION>, does the structure also hover?

Thirdly and the clearest evidence of a fake. <YELLOW ARROW> notice the white glow along this edge this is a common artifat caused by overlaying the image.

This should be in the photoshop section. I would have to see several more photos to think this is real....this one sure isn't convincing.

Opps.
 

Once again I let my mouth out run my brain. In the article they even say that it is just a model. oops my bad.

yeah, if i were you, i would have just deleted that post.

or at least played along like i MEANT to critique the picture in such a way. knowing that it was fake.

gump.

wow. just wow.

That would have worked on me. I thought it was rather obvious that you were being sarcastic -- until, of course, you admitted you screwed up.

Re: Re: Ooh
 

Heh. Admittedly, I've never seen a prism before and I was pretty much just ignoring the prism on the picture. I hadn't really believed the possibility. I just think that seeing those gigantic struts of steel (looming above me in a geometric formation) would be cool.

True
 

I could have acted like I meant to but then again we all need to be humbled sometimes.

Sounds like Derbyshire wants a new landmark and tourist destination. Hey, part of the civic marketing plan. I was struck by the strangeness of record physical size being stressed even more than estimated drive-by audience. Well, its HUGE!