The 2008 Pole Marker

Above, documentation that this is really the South Pole...below--a legend describing the various design elements of the marker which was placed in front of the new station on 1 January 2008.

The 2008 Geographic South Pole Marker was placed at 6:30pm January 1st, 2008 in snow currently sitting over 90 South latitude. Below is the design intention of the 2007 Winterover Facilities Engineer Laura Rip who designed the marker. Her design drawings are also attached [and are featured on this page].

The marker itself was crafted by 2007 Winterover SCOARA Machinist Derek Aboltins. His image of the continent is resting on a reflective polished surface sunken just below the rim of the design where it can collect a thin layer of snow. Though some winterovers worried that the arcing 3D lines of longitude over the continent might create an image of being trapped beneath the sky, the shape truly symbolizes lines of longitude arcing around the Southern Sea and the seventh continent as well as the ever present heavens above the white plateau.

Below, more of the design details:

There is a ceremony, usually (but not always) on New Year's Day, when the new Pole marker is unveiled at the current location of the real Geographic South Pole. 2008 was no exception...