Solar noon is the moment when the sun passes over your local meridian (the imaginary line drawn between the north and south poles that passes directly over your head). It is the moment when the sun is highest in the sky. In Joshua Tree in mid to late February solar noon occurs at approximately 11:58am. This is not always the case as the solar noon of any given location depends on the time of year (tilt of the Earth’s axis), as well as your longitude and your position within a specific time zone.

 

The holes in the roof of this work, Solar Noon Prototype, align with the objects on the floor of the structure exactly at solar noon - creating a perfectly timed spotlight effect. However, this will no longer be the case as the days and months pass and the suns position in the sky changes relative to the structure. Maybe someday I could build a version of this that actually physically rotates so as to stay in sync with solar noon.

 

Still, the structure serves as a shady respite from the desert heat. A place to sit or lay and look out at the Mojave. A place to watch the shadows shift and change as the day moves. A sun dial of sorts.