KUWAIT: As part of an innovative project that combines art and science, Dr Abrar Aljamaan, an assistant professor of mathematics at the American University of Kuwait, collaborated with Spanish solar photographer Diego Calvin to track the movement of the sun throughout the seasons using solarigraphy.

The results were recently published in the Astronomy and Geophysics journal of the Royal Astronomical Society in the United Kingdom. Solarigraphy is a modern and innovative method of solar imaging that involves a special solar camera relying on long exposure to sunlight throughout the day. This technique leaves an imprint of the Sun on light-sensitive paper inside the camera as it moves, which is then processed to extract the data.

Exposición de seis meses entre solsticios, vista este en Madrid base. 21 diciembre 2023 a 21 junio 2024.

In 2024, cameras were installed in both Kuwait and Madrid, Spain. The camera in Kuwait was oriented westward, while the one in Madrid was directed eastward to document and observe the daily movement of the Sun from the winter solstice to the summer solstice. The results revealed a spectrum of images that illustrate the Sun’s path, with solid lines representing sunny days and dotted lines indicating cloudy days. The photos showed color variations reflecting weather changes and humidity in both Kuwait and Madrid according to the seasons.

This project is part of a global initiative aimed at using solarigraphy to document the movement of the Sun in over 100 countries worldwide. It highlights the importance of understanding the Sun’s trajectories to improve the efficiency of solar panels and assess environmental and climatic impacts. Moreover, these results represent a significant achievement in astronomical research and enhance Kuwait’s standing in international circles, shedding light on the relationship between light, time, and space.