Reconstruction of the
Clatford Bottom 12-06-2005 formation

1a. The Clatford Bottom formation seems to have a threefold symmetry. The reconstruction given in the first ten steps is based on such a threefold symmetry.

Draw a circle. Draw and extend the horizontal and vertical centerlines.

2a. Construct the circumscribed equilateral triangle of circle 1a, pointing up.

3a. Construct three circles, each centered at a different angular point of triangle 2a, passing through adjacent intersections (tangent points) of this triangle and circle 1a (and thus tangent to each other).

4a. Construct three circles, each passing through a different angular point of triangle 2a, and passing through adjacent intersections (tangent points) of this triangle and circle 1a (and thus passing through the center of circle 1a).

5a. Construct an equilateral triangle, by drawing three lines tangent to circles 3a, two by two, at the outer sides, and extending these in both directions, until they intersect. As shown.

6a. Construct the inscribed circle of triangle 5a.

7a. Copy upper circle 3a to the center of circle 1a.

8a. Construct a circle, passing through the upper intersection of circle 7a and lower left circle 3a, tangent to upper circle 3a at the lefthand side, and tangent to the lower right circle 4a at the lower side, as shown.

9a. Copy and mirror circle 8a relative to the vertical centerline.

10a. Repeat steps 8a and 9a, relative to the lower left and right angular points of triangle 5a, as shown.

Circles 1a, 3a, 4a, 6a, 8a, 9a and 10a, and triangle 5a, are used for the final reconstruction shown in the next step.

11a. The final result, matched with the aerial image.

Severe mismatches show up in several places. The deviations occur in a seemingly twofold symmetry. Therefore, a second reconstruction will follow based on a twofold symmetry.

1. Draw a circle. Draw and extend the vertical centerline.

2. Construct the inscribed nonagon (regular 9-sided polygon) of circle 1, pointing down.

3. Construct a circle, centered at the upper intersection of circle 1 and the vertical centerline, passing through the two adjacent angular points of nonagon 2. Move (copy and delete the original) this circle to its upper intersection with the vertical centerline.

4. Draw two lines, tangent to circles 1 and 3 at their corresponding left and right sides, and extend these up to the vertical centerline, as shown.

5. Draw the horizontal centerline of circle 1, and extend this line (in both directions), and extend lines 4 (downward), until they intersect, as shown.

6. Construct the inscribed circle of triangle 4-5 (formed by lines 4 and 5).
Draw and extend the horizontal centerline of circle 6.

7. Construct three circles, each centered at a different angular point of triangle 4-5, passing through adjacent intersections (tangent points) of this triangle and circle 6 (and thus tangent to each other).

8. Construct two circles, passing through the lower left and right angular points of triangle 4-5, respectively, and each passing through adjacent intersections (tangent points) of this triangle and circle 6.

9. Construct a circle, passing through the upper angular point of triangle 4-5, and passing through adjacent intersections (tangent points) of this triangle and circle 6.

10. Construct a circle, centered at the upper angular point, and passing through the lower left and right angular points of triangle 4-5.

11. Copy circle 10 to the middle of the base of triangle 4-5 (the intersection of line 5 and the vertical ceterline).

12. Construct a circle concentric to circle 6, tangent to circle 11 at the upper side.

13. Construct a circle, centered at the righthand intersection of upper circle 7 and circle 12, tangent to circle 6 at the lower left.

14. Construct a circle, centered at the lefthand intersection of upper circle 7 and circle 12, tangent to circle 6 at the lower right.

15. Construct a circle concentric to circle 6, passing through the righthand intersection of circle 11 and the horizontal centerline (of circle 6).

16. Copy (righthand) circle 8 to the righthand intersection of circle 15 and the horizontal centerline.

17. Copy circle 15 to the upper intersection of circles 16 and 12.

18. Copy circle 17 to the lower intersection of lower right circle 7 and circle 12.

19. Copy and mirror circles 17 and 18, relative to the vertical centerline.

20. Construct a circle centered at the lower intersection of circle 18 and lower circle 19, passing through the righthand intersection of circles 17 and 18.

21. Copy circle 8 two times, to both intersections of circles 20 and 6.

22. Draw a line, tangent to circle 18 and lower circle 19, at the lower sides.

23. Construct a circle, centered at the intersection of line 22 and the vertical centerline, passing through the righthand intersection of lower circle 19 and circle 10.

24. Draw two lines, one tangent to circles 23 and 14 at the righthand sides, and one tangent to circles 23 and 13 at the lefthand sides. Extend both lines upward up to the vertical centerline.

25. Draw the connecting line between the intersections (tangent points) of circle 23 and lines 24.

26. Construct a circle concentric to circle 6, passing through the upper intersection of circle 17 and upper circle 19.

27. Circles 6, 7, 9, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 21 and 26, and lines 24 and 25 make up all that is necessary for the final reconstruction.

28. Delete all parts not visible within the formation itself.



High resolution dwf-file

29. Colouring all areas corresponding to standing...



High resolution dwf-file

30. ...or to flattened crop, finishes the reconstruction of the Clatford Bottom formation of 12-06-2005.



High resolution dwf-file

31.
courtesy the Crop Circle Connector
photo by: Crop Circle Connector
The final result, matched with the aerial image, shows a much better fit, but not in all places equally well.

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Copyright © 2005, Zef Damen, The Netherlands
Personal use only, commercial use prohibited.