Apr 16 2009
set the controls for the heart of the sun
This is the world’s largest solar furnace, in Odeillo in the Eastern Pyrénées in southern France.
Have a look at the large version of this picture. See the pixelation-like effect in the reflection? That’s lots of flat mirrors.
Just imagine the bugs you could fry with this baby.
If you don’t have the cash on hand for that many mirrors and a building to mount them on, the goddamn lunatics at Google have achieved similar results with a Fresnel lens. Note the array of fried pennies. You can also make a proper solar furnace with a Fresnel lens.
Photo: “Four solaire” by Daggett2008, taken 29 August 2008. CC by-sa 2.0.
