Providence  

 Sundial: 949
State/Province:  Rhode Island Country:  USA
Dial Type:  Noon Mark or Meridian Dial Condition:  Excellent
  Latitude and Longitude: 41° 49.577' N  71° 23.936' W
Location:
  • On the campus of Brown University in front of the Engineering Research Center
 
Description:
  • At first glance this is a gleaming stainless steel sculpture 15 feet long by 4 feet high in the shape of a Mobius strip. Although it fits its name "Infinity Possibility", it also contains a meridian noon mark sundial. At the south end of the Mobius, high up on its curved surface is a hole to allow the noontime sun to create a beam of light that hits a lower portion of the Mobius strip. Engraved on the strip is an analemma adjusted for the longitude of Brown University that shows date and civil time throughout the year. The analemma has monthly markers and is delineated with ticks every 5 days.
 
General Information:
  • Owner: Brown University
  • Designer: Linda Park and students of Brown
  • Builder: Team leaders Austin & David Schurman
  • Construction Date: Unveilled May 5, 2019
 
References:
  • Charlie Giancarlo, 1979 alumnus, wanted something at Brown "that would represent the rigor of engineering work, but have artistic beauty as well" and provided a grand design challenge to the university's School of Engineering. A student group called Brown STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics) took up the challenge to develop the sundial.

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Last Revised: 2019-05-09 11:59