Theme park
Intihuatana
You are located 2500 meters above sea level on the western slopes of the Cumbres Calchaquíes within the Ampimpa Observatory Area. It is one of the highest theme parks in Argentina and South America. Its name, Intihuatana, comes from Quechua and means place where the sun is tied.
The geography of the place. The Park is surrounded by an imposing landscape, whose relief has been shaped over millions of years, basically by two geological factors: Orogeny by tectonics (elevation of the mountains) and their subsequent erosion. Both processes began to occur about 3-4 million years ago, resulting in mountains more than 4000 meters high and Quaternary deposits (coarse material) that sit on ancient seabeds (fine material).
On a soil almost without development, a very varied flora thrives, composed mainly of Jarillas, Broom, and a wide variety of cacti, from which the Cardones emerge majestically.
This region is the habitat mainly of the Andean fox, Pseudalopex culpaeus, and the lizard, Liolaemus pacha; in addition to a great variety of birds of all sizes: From the Condor that watches over the heights of Ampimpa, to the small Golden Goldfinch (Sicalis flaveola). The entire Observatory area is a “Protected Zone” where not only the native flora and fauna (biotics) but also abiotic factors such as water, air, soil, etc. are preserved.
Our visitors can contribute to this conservation by taking care of the Park facilities, using containers to throw garbage, not interfering with wild animals and avoiding cutting plants. Also educating children in this sense is a valuable contribution to the objectives of this Park.
01
Solar oven
Parabola collector of solar caloric radiation (mainly Infrared) that concentrates the solar rays received on 1m2 of surface in an area of no more than 10cm in diameter (focus). It is made up of a set of more than 1000 small mirrors of approx. 1 cm2 each. This produces very high temperatures in the focus that burn the wood in a few seconds, charring it almost instantly.
This is the principle of solar cookers, widely used in northern Argentina, especially in the Puna area. This parable can boil 1 liter of water in 7 minutes, on a day of full sun. A clean and practically inexhaustible source of energy!!
If you want to put it into operation, the fundamental requirement is that there is sun in a clear sky. If these conditions are met, then try to place the parabola pointing at the sun, using the long crank (Rotates horizontally and vertically). At the top of the parabola it has a small tube that allows it to be pointed better at the sun. You can also use the shadow of the parabola on the ground to correctly point at the sun.
After a few seconds you will notice that the piece of wood placed in the focus will begin to burn. Once the phenomenon is observed, move the parabola so that it stops pointing at the sun.
Keep in mind that most of the caloric radiation that burns wood is infrared and therefore Invisible!! . The bright light that you observe on the wood is the so-called “white” light or “visible” light that practically does not contribute to the heating of the wood.
Caution: Although the parabola is at a safe height, avoid standing in front of it. If you use your sunglasses you can observe the phenomenon more clearly and without glare.
02
Wind generator
It uses the force of the wind that rotates the blades, which in turn move the shaft of the generator, which produces direct electrical current of 24 volts.
This generator is designed to operate in the Observatory area, where the winds are usually very strong and gusty. That is to say that in a short time they can go from calm air to wind speeds of up to 50 km/h. For this reason, unlike generators in plain areas, their blades are small and can rotate at high speeds.
A sophisticated charge regulator is built into the body of the generator and its function is to manage the load to the battery, protecting it from any excess charging. When the batteries are fully charged, the regulator places the blades in the braking position and they stop rotating, avoiding unnecessary wear on their mechanical parts.
Both in this wind generator and the solar panel produce direct current (DC). Unlike the one in our homes, which is alternating current (AC). A device commonly called an “Inverter” can convert this 12 or 24 volt DC to 220 volt AC.
03
Solar tower
This tower serves to show the operation of the solar panels used to produce electrical energy for domestic use. Solar panels are made up of a large number of “photovoltaic cells” that convert sunlight into electrical energy, due to the “photoelectric effect”. One solar cell is not enough to produce an appreciable amount of energy so a set of cells (usually 36) is grouped together to form a “solar panel”.
The solar panel receives sunlight (direct, reflected and/or diffused by the atmosphere) and converts it into electrical energy. The instruments inside the solar tower box are a Voltmeter (black) that indicates the voltage provided by the panel and an Ammeter (yellow) that indicates the intensity of the electric current generated. The tower has also a “charge regulator” that “manages” the available electrical energy (of solar origin). Thus, during the day it can supply energy for consumption, and with the surplus charge batteries.
During the night, the tower can provide power from the battery, where it was accumulated during the day. This charge regulator has a small “display” that alternately indicates: Battery voltage, solar current and charging current. A red LED on indicates which value is being measured.
Experiment!!!
Turn on the instruments by placing the external switch to “On”.
Rotate the solar panel using the horizontal cranks (red). Orient it in different directions: To the Sun, to the North, Opposite the sun, etc. (North is indicated at the base of the tower). Compare the current generated in those different directions.
Notice on the Digital Ammeter (yellow) that there is not much difference between the current generated with the panel facing the sun and the current generated with the panel facing North. For this reason, in general, solar panels do not “follow” the sun but are fixed pointing north. This in the southern hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere they face south.
A small fan inside the board allows you to appreciate its speed changes, the intensity of current generated by the solar panel when oriented in different directions. A Push button on its left allows you to turn on a lamp using the solar energy generated by the panel. Observe the changes in the instrument readings!!!
You can charge your phone mobile, tablet, etc., connecting it to the USB terminal. It's like you charge them using your car's cigarette lighter!!.
Turn off the power switch when you leave the Solar Tower.
Digital park guide
Caution: When rotating the panel, be careful not to strain the cables. If this happens, turn in the opposite direction.
04
Sundial
Sundial (Horizontal)
The sundial of this Park is of a very particular type; the shadow of the needle on the yellow lines on the dial drawn on the ground, approximately indicate the Argentine Civil Time, that is, the time marked by the clocks that we usually use. The shadow of the vertical needle projected on a horizontal plane on the ground indicates on this clock the commonly called “Argentine Official Time”, corresponding to the -3 hour zone with respect to Greenwich. This time is associated with the trajectory of an imaginary artificial sun called “middle sun”. Since the shadow we see here is the one cast by the real (true) sun, the time indicated by this clock can have a maximum error of 15 minutes. When the sun is at the highest point in the sky, the cast shadow is exactly in the Geographic North-South direction and represents “true solar noon.” On our watch it is indicated by a thin red line. If you want greater accuracy in the time, you can make a correction using the so-called “Equation of Time” whose values depend on the day of the year:
These values must be added to the time indicated by the shadow of the needle to have a more accurate value.
Once this correction is made, there should not be a error greater than a few minutes in the “Official Time” that is, the time that our clocks indicate.
The equation of time marks the difference between the “apparent” path in the sky of the “average sun” (fictitious) that moves uniformly, with respect to the “true sun” whose “apparent” speed in the sky is variable. The term “apparent” is used because this effect is actually caused by changes in the speed of the Earth in its movement around the sun. The Earth's speed is maximum at perihelion (closest point to the sun) and minimum at aphelion (farthest point from the sun), a consequence of Kepler's famous Laws of planetary motion.
Compass
At the southern end of the sundial on a stone pedestal is a beautiful bronze compass in operation, a replica of the Victorian compasses of the 16th century. 19. It consists of a metal box on whose bottom it represents the compass rose. In its center there is a magnetized needle that rotates freely on an axis and always points to magnetic north. To determine any direction of the horizon, the magnetized needle must coincide with the line that marks North on the compass rose. Its invention is attributed to the Chinese and it was one of the instruments that revolutionized navigation at the end of the Middle Ages.
You can see the alignment of the needle with the direction of the geographical meridian of the place, which coincides with the 12 o'clock indicator line. (noon). If you observe very carefully, you can actually observe a very slight difference between the direction pointed by the compass and the red line on the dial (called the meridian). This is because the sundial marks the geographic N-S direction and the compass the N-S direction of the Earth's magnetic poles. This small difference is called “Magnetic Declination”.
05
Weather station
Wireless Weather Station - DAVIS INSTRUMENTS Vantage VUE model
Meteorological variables recorded:
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Wind speed and direction.
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Indoor and outdoor temperature and humidity.
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Accumulated daily, monthly and annual rainfall.
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Rain intensity.
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Current atmospheric pressure and trend.
It also indicates:
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Thermal sensation and dew point.
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Moon phase and sunset and sunrise times.
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Meteorological forecast.
It was installed in November 2011 and belongs to the Institute of Animal Behavior of the Miguel Lillo Foundation of Tucumán. This instrument allows the study of the variables mentioned above in order to know the climatic characteristics and the changes that occur in this area. This instrument was configured to upload data to an international platform:Weather Underground.
It should be noted that there is only this weather station in the area, hence the importance of the data being online with free access.
It also serves as a basis for biological research that contributes to the knowledge and understanding of animal behavior from an ecological and evolutionary point of view (including topics such as communication, ontogeny, reproduction, thermal ecology and climate change, territoriality), in different groups of vertebrates.
06
Adam's Calendar
Replica of Adam's Calendar, discovered in South Africa in 2003. It consists of a circle of large stones (megaliths) aligned with the cardinal points:
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North (5)
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South (7)
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This (6)
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West (4)
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Another monolith (2) is aligned with a “window” formed by 2 central rocks (1) indicating the point of sunrise on the winter solstice.
The first calculations of the calendar's antiquity were based on its alignment with Orion's Belt (also known as “the three Marys”). The movement of terrestrial precession was taken into account (which completes a cycle approximately every 26,000 years) and causes the positions of the stars in the sky to change slowly over the centuries.
Thus it was determined that the three stars of Orion's belt aligned perfectly on the three stones of Adam's calendar at least 13,000 years ago.
It is one of the oldest megalithic calendars in the world and shows the concern of ancient man for measuring the passage of time and the seasons. All this possibly associated with an incipient development of agriculture.
Each rock is indicated with a reference number, on a small wooden sign for better orientation. These signs have been made small and made of wood to minimize the visual impact on the harmony and aesthetics of the whole.
