The Pantheon in Rome, built in the 2nd century, is a masterpiece of ancient architecture, famous for its immense dome. This temple, dedicated to all the gods, has become one of the best-preserved monuments of the Roman Empire. The central feature of its architecture is the oculus, a circular opening located at the top of the dome. This oculus allows a beam of natural light to enter, beautifully illuminating the interior. Here, it is shown how observing the phenomenon at noon on a single day can reveal how the lighting changes throughout the year.
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En cliquant sur ces images ci-dessous, on peut suivre la hauteur angulaire des rayons du soleil, à midi solaire, tous les jours de l’année, en 2023 et 2024. Les données varient peu entre ces deux années mais 2024 est bissextile et 2023 ne l’est pas.
By clicking on the images below, you can track the angular height of the sun’s rays at solar noon every day of the year in 2023 and 2024. The data varies little between these two years, but 2024 is a leap year, whereas 2023 is not.