Solarium / Horologium Augusti
at the University of Oregon, Eugene

The Construction of the obelisk

Week of 16-22 June:

• Summer Solstice: Note Greg Bolt's article in the Register Guard for 21 June. Marking the hours at 11 and at 12 PDT; and unexpected gift from David Counter; the gathered observers for solar noon.
• From the ground up at Commencement. Preparing for Summer Solstice: Mike and Dennis with the new sphere; coronation; the new sphere in place; and it does cast a much better shadow on the ground. Bob Zimmerman with his cheat-sheet on solar noon; a lesson for students. And now it is complete.

Week of 4 - 8 June, 2007: Completing the temporary obelisk. Our crew of craftsmen.

• The mast ready to be raised; halfway, setting the mast in place one, two, three [note Bobby Kristenson's use of a precision tool!]
• Alignment [TimKing at work]
• Mike Hannesen and Tim King looking toward Lillis ; and toward the Knight Library; the view [through the window] from the 2nd floor of Lillis.
• Finishing the obelisk: The first element, lifting off, being threaded, down into place; the second unit, the third unit. Preparing the 'pyramid' and finial; and the placement.
• How it looks: from 13th Street and from Lillis 2nd floor.

Week of 28 May - 1 June, 2007

• Foundation now complete; stages 1 and 2 ready to be painted; stage 3 in preparation. The pyramid that will support the finial. Ginger and Dan consult on painting.

Week of 20 -25 May 2007. Construction of the temporary, but full scale obelisk in now underway. After much discussion it was determined that the temporary structure needed the substantial foundation, hence the decision to provide such a concrete and rebar base for the mast and wooden obelisk.

• Ground-breaking. The extent of the excavation. Bob Christianson on the backhoe. Pouring the concrete; concrete now ready to setup.
• PDFs of the overall design. Details on joints and footing. Note that the base of the obelisk will merge neatly with the grass and ground level.
• Measuring the shadow of the obelisk at Summer Solstice. The issue here is that the sun is so 'high' at the summer solstice that the obelisk itself shadows the pointer at the apex of the pyramid at the top. Hence the need for a capstone finial that can point to the time. Notes on the finial: model ; shadow and closeup

Live Webcast
Notes from John Nicols, professor of history, nic@uoregon.edu