03 March 2010 by Tristan Gooley
This photo of the roof of my home tells a story of the sun’s journey.
The morning shadow from the dormer window is retreating and the sun is reaching more of the roof with each minute. The frost from the night before is thawing in the warm light. It is also forming a very simple shadow compass. At this time of year the sun rises very close to east and the direction that the frost is retreating will be west to east. The protruding ‘nose’ of frost near the top of the roof can be joined to the jutting part of the shadow to form a near perfect west-east line.
This effect can be seen in so many places at this time of year, as we get closer to the spring equinox (20 March). It will also work close to the autumnal equinox (23 September this year), but not in…
Read More...
Tags: east west shadows, equinox, frost lines, roofs, spring |
01 November 2008 by Tristan Gooley
There are three words that you are unlikely to see together in the same sentence ever again. What is my excuse here? There is a well-known relationship between sunshine and moss or lichen growth, but there are subtler, more interesting ones as well. I have lost count of the number of people who have confidently told me that moss only grows on the north side of trees and buildings. I have dealt with that partial myth elsewhere, but here I want to explore a rarely-noted trend.
In England and large parts of northern Europe mosses and lichens will often grow on the south side of trees and buildings, but they will nearly always display differences to nearby brethren growing on the north side. The crucial thing to remember is that we are dealing with trends and patterns when observing nature, avoiding rules wherever possible. The navigator who tries to…
Read More...
Tags: east street chichester, lichen, nature navigation, north moss, roofs |
