Thursday, October 18, 2018

Solar-aligned structures in Northeastern Pennsylvania

While studying solar power a few years ago, I noticed two structures in Northeastern Pennsylvania which, while not solar powered, have obvious solar alignments.


When casino gambling was legalized in Pennsylvania, local horseracing track Pocono Downs was bought by the Mohegan tribe, which runs the Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut, and was rechristened  Mohegan Sun Pocono. The new casino complex, which includes some of the least intrusive lighting I have seen for any such structure, has a solar alignment and features an "arrowhead" pointed to solar south.

(The architect who designed the original Mohegan Sun also designed the Sun City resort in South Africa, which was brought to the world's attention in 1985 by Steven Van Zandt's anti-apartheid protest project "Sun City," featuring the all-star "[I Ain't Gonna Play] Sun City.")

Much closer to home for me is Luzerne County Community College in Nanticoke. Outside of the Schulman Gallery are decorative pavement markings that are aligned with solar north.


Do the other markings indicate other key solar directions - the northernmost and southernmost directions of sunrise and sunset? I honestly don't know. I suppose I could figure it out...

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