Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
F IG . 5.18 Midsummer and midwinter alignments. Royal Infirmary and
Glasgow Cathedral spire at rear (Photo by Frank O'Neill)
the composite photograph, Gavin beheaded John and me, replaced
our trunks with stones, and filled in the rest to generate an artist's
impression of the circle seen from the west. Bill's plan and Gavin's
impression would later be used in our application to the Planning
Department for approval (Chap. 7 ).
Copies of these were forwarded at once to Ian Clair, who
approved them and asked if we could supply a model to be incor-
porated into the Consultants' official model of the park. It was not
a tall order, anything but, since it would have to be about of an
inch across. In fact Gavin had to exaggerate the scale slightly, but
he succeeded in building it in India-rubber, and before handing it
over he photographed it from above with an anglepoise lamp simu-
lating midsummer sunrise (Fig. 5.19 ). It was very unlikely that
we would get such strong shadows in modern times - unlikely
that they were so clear even in the Neolithic - but the model very
clearly illustrated the principle of the layout. Standing on the side
furthest from the Sun, the observer would position himself so that
the central stone obscured his view of the midsummer sunrise
marker, and for him, the Sun would rise over the central stone.
Others standing around would see the shadow of the marker fall on
the central stone and the shadow of the central stone fall towards
the viewpoint. That little model photographed on Gavin's carpet
was to prove enormously helpful, and months after the circle was
 
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