Sundial

Category: Miscellaneous | Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 8:52 am

Laterally thinking, it needs the rain to be lashing relentlessly against the window to inspire, of all very unlikely things, a sundial.
I found a photo of a large sundial where the viewer becomes the 'bit' that sticks up to cast the shadow.

I was thinking previously of a more usual design, but as there is a ready made part circle of paving behind the pond, this could very easily become the scale of time - just requiring a shadow to fall across it.
The paving, as it happens, starts about where the shadow will hit in the morning (actual time not noted yet), and finishes well into the afternoon. So it won't provide a great proportion of time measurement, but enough to be able to read during the day for a rough time check(if the sun's out of course).
The question is, how will the increments of time be displayed on the path? It needs to be 'arty' I think.
I could use the narrow gaps between the pavers (currently grass) and inset something designy.
This won't tie in very well with actual hour increments - I would be extremely lucky for one slab to equal an hour. But there are nine gaps, so it might work.
Also my circle is much smaller than the one in the photo, so a human's shadow would be far too big to provide any accuracy.
A conventional pointer is therefore required in the centre. Perhaps something a bit Celtic looking - whatever that might be.
I shall have to swat up on how these things work, and at what angle the pointer projects. Unlike most other things, this IS rocket science.

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Gardenstew wrote on Sun Mar 04, 2007 9:37 am:

Hmmm now you have got me thinking about this Pete. A theme in the pointer and the time increments would be ideal. I'll come right back if I have any light bulb moments.

Great idea by the way!

devonpete wrote on Sun Mar 04, 2007 12:18 pm:

I don't believe it.
The 'bit' that casts the shadow is apparently called a 'gnomon'.
Having quickly glossed over a few websites on 'how to make a sundial', it seems I have to know the latitude of my back garden to achieve the right angle for the gnomon.
Now, how this latitude reference transfers to the actual angle of the gnomon I'm not absolutely sure.