Quiz: What am I?
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What am I? -- Kinosaki -- Toyooka, Hyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2009 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1/250 sec, f/10, ISO 450 — map & image datanearby photos
What am I?

I took the photo above this afternoon. What is it?


All 17 comments so far, oldest first...

A fountain head in a concrete walkway.

Don

— comment by Don RIcklin on January 25th, 2009 at 11:05pm JST (15 years, 2 months ago) comment permalink

I should add one hint: it’s practical, not ornamental.

— comment by Jeffrey Friedl on January 25th, 2009 at 11:13pm JST (15 years, 2 months ago) comment permalink

First thought was a fountain too… but the center bit looks more optical.

Daylight photo sensor to turn on/off something else?

IR sensor for counting cars in a road?

— comment by JasonP on January 25th, 2009 at 11:37pm JST (15 years, 2 months ago) comment permalink

I should reiterate from your last Quiz that you need to take photos in areas with good satellite coverage! 😉

Yes, this is a constant failing on my part, sorry. In this case, though, it wouldn’t help a bit. —Jeffrey

— comment by JasonP on January 25th, 2009 at 11:41pm JST (15 years, 2 months ago) comment permalink

An outdoor ground light?

— comment by Michael Zehrer on January 25th, 2009 at 11:56pm JST (15 years, 2 months ago) comment permalink

Spray nozzle in a fountain.

— comment by Sean Phillips on January 26th, 2009 at 12:41am JST (15 years, 2 months ago) comment permalink

I am not sure of the actual name of it, however it is used for the poles that are seen in ticketing or amusement park lines.

— comment by ShaneP on January 26th, 2009 at 2:02am JST (15 years, 2 months ago) comment permalink

Survey reference point.

— comment by PLM on January 26th, 2009 at 3:38am JST (15 years, 2 months ago) comment permalink

An access port of some kind?

— comment by Grandma Friedl on January 26th, 2009 at 5:28am JST (15 years, 2 months ago) comment permalink

Underwater light in the hot springs?

— comment by Sean Freeman on January 26th, 2009 at 7:44am JST (15 years, 2 months ago) comment permalink

My guess is that you sold your house and bought that Hubble-esque Sigma APO 200-500mm lens and a custom 2x converter. Then you stood on your balcony and took a photo of a space ship which had landed on Mars.

— comment by Marcina on January 26th, 2009 at 8:50am JST (15 years, 2 months ago) comment permalink

It looks like the pivot/axle mount for a rotating stone thingy

— comment by Steve Friedl on January 26th, 2009 at 1:26pm JST (15 years, 2 months ago) comment permalink

I agree with ShaneP. It is a kind of base to put on a pole, used in parking places.

— comment by E.I.Sarmas on January 26th, 2009 at 7:28pm JST (15 years, 2 months ago) comment permalink

I thought I’d write up the answer in a post this evening, but it’s too late, so for now I’ll just leave another hint or two. Don and others who thought “fountain” are partially correct in that it does involve a squirting liquid. JasonP is partially correct in that it has a sensor of some kind. And here’s the big hint: Don and Jason are both on to something when they mention “walkway” and “road”.

It has nothing to do with parking-lot poles or “rotating stone thingies”.

Answer will follow in a post tomorrow…

— comment by Jeffrey Friedl on January 27th, 2009 at 12:24am JST (15 years, 2 months ago) comment permalink

Think it is something like a sensor for rain or cold, with four nozzle to spray road or path with saltwater / just water ? Just an idea….

— comment by Fred Klee on January 27th, 2009 at 5:02am JST (15 years, 2 months ago) comment permalink

Was about to comment that it looked like one of the sprays that are used to keep minor roads clear of ice/snow in winter, but Fred Klee beat me to it. Most effective when the water coming out is warm, as in surplus water from a hot spring (onsen), of which there seem to be plenty in the area – map is more useful than satellite view in this case.

— comment by Tony Nelson on January 27th, 2009 at 5:35am JST (15 years, 2 months ago) comment permalink

The answer can be found on this post.

— comment by Jeffrey Friedl on January 28th, 2009 at 12:16am JST (15 years, 2 months ago) comment permalink
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