Re: Precise locations
In message <d339e370-5a25-4d9e-8d99-637604f93...@btinternet.com> Douglas Bateman <douglas.bate...@btinternet.com> wrote: > Sundiallers like to give precise locations for dials, but (a little off-list) > I have a bottle of Campo Viejo Rioja 2014 wine in front of me which gives at > the top of the label N 42º 28â 48â W 02º 29â 08â. Although in a > small font it is clearly printed above the brand name. > > Google Earth shows a large vineyard, and indeed the brand, at this location. > > This is a new one on me, and I wonder how many products are giving their > source location in geographical coordinates. > > Open for discussion! > > Doug > --- > https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial > As far as physical 'products' are concerned, these days they would probably have a "QRcode" - you know, one of those small square blocks which just seem to contain a 'jumble' of black and white pixels. Those are mainly used to direct people straight to a website, but they can contain a lot more information (if you needed to do so). If you want to include an actual geographical location, then one of the best ways is to use a "NAC code" - which stands for 'Natural Area Coding' also known as Universal Map Coding, or a Universal Address). It is usually included as a 'meta', within any website design coding. For sundial-related subjects, the only people I know that use these methods are "Modern Sunclocks" - and (if anyone is interested), I have 'attached' the QRcode they use to drive people to their website. Within the 'meta' code of that website they also display a NAC code, so that any people can find-out their exact Latitude and Longitude. Sincerely, Martina Addiscott -- --- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
Re: Analemmatic sundial question
In message cacouayo4odgi_fukz0hecuubcgp07g37dexizfhkhjnmrgz...@mail.gmail.com Dan Uza cerculdest...@gmail.com wrote: Hello, From your experience, what is the best analemmatic sundial size to be set up at a children playground? I was thinking about a width of 5.4 meters, the base consisting of a row of 4 concrete pavement tiles (40x40 cm) and 12 other smaller tiles for the hours. Should their surface be more smooth or more rugged? Also, can you please share some tips and tricks on how to mark the months and hours? I was thinking about applying acrylic paint thorough some PVC homemade stencils, but am not sure whether it will withstand traffic. Do I need primer or lacquer? In any case, something cheap would be great :) Your insight is always appreciated. Dan Uza Romania Hi, Dan As you are located in Romania, I suggest you get in touch with the people at www.suncanisat.com - who specialise in the Analemmatic type of 'Human Sundial', and are not far away from you in Croatia. There are a lot of 'painted' (and other) layouts on their website, though you might also want to think about more permanent 'mosaic'. Sincerely, Martina Addiscott. -- --- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
Re: Information wanted, on 'badly designed' public sundials
In message b2b10b0b-a5a9-4713-9334-bcdb0625c...@telenet.be Willy Leenders willy.leend...@telenet.be wrote: I am surprised that this construction is allowed in UK while there are safety rules that prohibit a sundial on a playground even though all parts are on the ground level. Willy Leenders Hasselt in Flanders (Belgium) Just so that people are clear, Human Sundials are only discouraged for use by SCHOOLS (not in public areas) - and it depends where you are, since there are some ridiculous situations in connection with this. For example, you will have no difficulty in West Sussex - but go over the border into East Sussex, and your school would not be allowed one. That is why my own school had to be content with making small models, since (being in East Sussex) we were not permitted a playground layout. If you are in Northern Ireland (part of the UK), then there is not any problem - but Southern Ireland (strictly part of Europe) will not let schools have one, without written permission from local authorities. Canadian schools have also 'banned' them, but they are OK in America. I assume that the original poster for this thread (Reena Gagneja) had found the 'Colne' photo on the Modern Sunclocks website, where it is shown as an example of how 'Analemmatic' layouts should NOT be made! The specific page is at URL address www.sunclocks.com/pics/fs-007.htm However, it does not give any details of who the actual 'designer' was for that feature - only that it was in connection with a local Council, and that Modern Sunclocks declined to be involved with it (because they considered that it would become a 'hazard' to any pedestrians). Regards, Martina Addiscott. -- --- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
Re: Isle of Wight sundials
In message 1375610529.12807.yahoomail...@web87404.mail.ir2.yahoo.com JOHN DAVIS john.davi...@btopenworld.com wrote: Elizabeth is an IoW resident and came to sundials quite late in life. Although not a member of the BSS, she has helped considerably in chasing out details of her local dials. If Elizabeth is also interested in modern sundials, (instead of just older ones) - then there is a nice mosaic 'Analemmatic' layout, which is in the grounds of Brading Roman Villa on the Isle of Wight. We saw it on a school trip to that location, plus I have 'attached' a small picture. If Elizabeth needs specific information, I imagine that the staff at Brading Roman Villa (which is a popular tourist and educational site) could give more details of this colourful sundial. Sincerely, Martina Addiscott. -- attachment: Brading.jpg--- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
Re: Cut out dials
In message 000e01ce1a7b$7f374030$7da5c090$@waitrose.com Jackie Jones jac...@waitrose.com wrote: Dear diallists, I would like to have a selection of cut, fold and glue dials available, mainly for children. I know there are lots of you out there who have designed them, but I would not want to use them without your permission. I would be very grateful if you could sent me any, or links to them, if you feel you could help in this. Ideally, I would like them to be for 51° north and a size that can be printed onto A4 thin card. I am intending to sell them for just the cost of the printing, not making a profit. With best wishes, Jackie Dear Jackie, Our school found that one of the best 'models' to use, is the Sunclock or 'analemmatic' sundial - from Modern Sunclocks in Scotland, and you can see their website page at www.sunclocks.com/pics/fs-013.htm#models It can simply be printed-out, stuck on to A4 card, and uses a vertical pencil or drinking-straw to cast the shadow. As well as being accurate, it copes with Daylight-saving, plus illustrating the changing 'seasons'. The kids could all take these models home, and check that it would tell correct clock time all through the year. We had found that a drinking- straw, held by a small Lego brick, made the perfect gnomon for them. As I have mentioned on this Mailing List before - our local Educational Authority would not let us have a 'dangerous' full-size layout on our school playground - but were perfectly happy for children to use sharp scissors, plus intoxicating 'glue fumes', when making these models ! Being located in East Sussex, myself - I might just 'pop-along' to your Brighton Festival, in May, although I cannot guarantee to be there. Yours sincerely, Martina Addiscott. -- --- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
Sundials in playgrounds - at last, the tide is turning !
Following-on from previous correspondence, it actually seems that the UK Health and Safety Executive have realised just how ridiculous it is for schools to be 'banning' any outdoor activities - simply because there was a small element of risk involved, which might ultimately result in some legal action. They have now issued a statement (see the attached PDF file), in an attempt to clarify this unfortunate situation - which was causing Analemmatic playground layouts to be discouraged, both here in the UK and in other countries such as Australia. This might be of use to list-member Donald Christensen - whom I know is active in this area, within the Australian system. So it looks like the tide might be turning, back to a more 'sensible' approach to evaluating levels of risk to children, and as well as the attached file there is further information at http://charityemail.org.uk/LJV-YM4F-39UDPL-DE93G-0/c.aspx Sincerely, Martina Addiscott. -- safety.pdf Description: Adobe PDF document --- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
Re: Sundials in playgrounds - at last, the tide is turning !
In message 50535482.1010...@shaw.ca brianalbinson brianalbin...@shaw.ca wrote: Martina We do not have the problem in Canada, although I was prevented from putting the Zodiac signs at one school because of religious concern. I pointed out that the signs predated both Christianity and Islam and have been traced back to Bronze Age (Old Babylonian) sources, but to no avail. Although you said that Canada is immune from this problem, it does not appear to be the case - since the Modern Sunclocks website clearly states that schools in Canada have basically 'banned' Analemmatic layouts (due to being too popular!), and so need written permission from their educational authority. The URL is: www.sunclocks.com/pics/fs-007.htm#reconstituted I do not imagine that they would mention it on their website if this was not true - as otherwise they will potentially be missing-out on orders from Canadian schools, which they could have had by keeping their mouth shut about this situation. At least they have the honesty to 'pre-warn' their customers, so that whatever necessary permissions can then be requested. It was for exactly this reason (the children will fight over it in the playground), that my own educational authority did not let me create a full-size interactive layout - and so the pupils had to make small individual working-models, instead. If you might remember, in one of my previous messages on this subject of 'safety' - I had some correspondence with a sundial designer (in Croatia), who was not allowed to install a metal layout in case it might get too hot in the sun, thus injuring people's feet and causing some damage to their Tourist Trade. That is just one example of Health and Safety gone mad, but perhaps some list-members may have their own similar stories. Sincerely, Martina Addiscott. --- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
Why are schools, across the world, 'banning' analemmatic sundials ?
Roughly one year ago, I had mentioned on this 'Mailing List' that our local Educational Authority would not permit us to install an interactive 'analemmatic' sundial on our school playground - since their opinion was that it was simply too dangerous, for children ! It now seems that other countries are 'banning' these, for similar Health and Safety reasons - which I think is totally ridiculous, and suggest that the general Sundial community should 'protest' to the people concerned, as otherwise we are in danger of losing the opportunity to have these interesting outdoor educational projects. I know that they are generally 'frowned-upon', by schools here in Britain - but it appears that Canadian and Australian schools have also decided, that these 'Human Sundials' cause too much trouble ! See the page at: www.sunclocks.com/pics/fs-007.htm#reconstituted If anyone might like to join me in a 'campaign', to stop sundials being discouraged by schools - then please get in touch with me by E-mail, or you could also contact me on my mobile: +44 7769561152. Should anyone have comments on this deplorable situation - then I would also appreciate your thoughts, direct to the 'Mailing List'. Sincerely, Martina Addiscott. -- --- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
Re: Why are schools, across the world, 'banning' analemmatic sundials ?
In message C999F252986D457EA20FAC7AD947B60D@samsung Reinhold Kriegler reinhold.krieg...@gmx.de wrote: Dear Martina, I still remember your previous message! The world is crazy! In Germany I have heard in a radio transmission last year, parents went to a lawyer after there children fell over a tree root while walking with the class on a public path through a forest and private forest owners are thinking of no longer allowing people to walk on their paths through the forest as they had to fight with several reports at the law courts! My beautiful analemmatic sundial was destroyed by jealouse women colleagues and they worried a lot about a friendly newspaper article. I was even called by the headmistress and she was not ashamed to tell me There are also other good teachers at our school! because of a harmless sentence of a 10 years old girl about me! Nothing else! So you see where the real danger is! It is the jealousy, nothing else! http://www.ta-dip.de/sonnenuhren/meine-sonnenuhren/analemmatische-sonnen uhr.html Dear Reinhold, Thanks for your reply, saying you also had some difficulty with an 'analemmatic' sundial at a school - and caused by jealousy plus people being frightened of some legal action, against them. As you suggest, I would love to 'defy' our Educational Authority to install this feature - but if I did so, then I am afraid that both myself and my Head Teacher will be dismissed from our jobs. I really cannot understand why (say) any Hop-scotch grids and Snakes Ladders layouts are OK for playgrounds - but when it comes to interactive Human Sundials, they are deemed 'dangerous' for children. Nobody seems to be able to give me a satisfactory explanation for it - except to say, Health and Safety reasons. If anyone else has some ideas on this, then please let me know. Sincerely, Martina Addiscott. --- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
Re: School analemmatic sundial
In message 8ce03b8075e30e3-2654-31...@webmail-m156.sysops.aol.com darkro...@aol.com wrote: I work at a school and started an environment club last year. As a solar project for the up coming school year I would like the kids to make an analemmatic sundial. I am completely new to sundials and need to learn what I can during the summer so I can teach basics to my group of 5th graders next year. The sundial will be painted on the large blacktop area. I got calculations from the website http://www.jamesriverstudio.com/sundials/calculator/Dial.xhtml#setupAnchor I made a small sundial in my driveway and it worked. I do need to make additions for daylight saving. I have seen two ways: a second set of hour points above the first set or making one hour point and have the circle for the hour divided in half, one half at the standard hour and the other half daylight saving hour. Questions: Has anyone used the above website? Bill, the person that has been replying to email, has been very nice and helpful and recommended me joining here to get more information on sundials. Also the North American Sundial Society. How big would I need to make a sundial for elementary students? I have a very large area to work. Since I am learning all this too and finding the information can be a bit confusing what is the simplest way to teach children? I want them to see different kinds of sundials and make a small ones out of paper. I look forward to reading the archived threads and learning what I can. Thank you, Pat Dear Pat, Thanks for contacting the Sundial Mailing List, and no doubt other members will also respond to your enquiry about an Analemmatic dial. If you may want to do your own calculations, then a very good website is: http://plus.maths.org/content/os/issue11/features/sundials/index However, if you prefer the choice between any full-size layout on the ground and/or small working models which each child can make - then I would recommend looking at page : www.sunclocks.com/pics/fs-013.htm For a fairly small fee, Modern Sunclocks will provide a customized set of plans for your school - including any 'Daylight-saving Time', so that you can make a schoolyard layout or just those small models. Our local Educational Authority would not allow us to have the full- size version on our playground (they felt that it was too dangerous for the children!) - so we just made small working models, instead. The plans also take Longitude into account, so that it tells correct 'clock' time, no matter where your location is within the Time-zone. I hope that the information, above, may be of some help to you - and please let us know how you get on (with some pictures, if possible). Sincerely, Martina Addiscott. -- --- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
Re: Sundials for teaching
In message 4db634d0.5040...@verizon.net Brent bren...@verizon.net wrote: Martina Addiscott wrote: Whether the children have actually 'learned' anything (or even properly understood the concept), is largely irrelevant - just so long as we can demonstrate (to OFSTED inspectors) that the curriculum is implemented. No doubt it is this underlying bureaucracy which has led to a reduction in educational standards, over the years - as the children do not really get the time (or opportunity) to learn anything from first principles. We are therefore turning-out a generation of people who might know WHAT, but not WHY, things work - even though the level of 'what' they know is debatable, and they may not actually be able to think for themselves. I'm not a teacher so I'm not really qualified to respond to this silliness but I may be the closest thing that this list has to a student. Personally I am more interested in the 'why' of things and trying to figure them out myself leads to a greater understanding. Sure, I could look everything up on Google and make short order of this subject by just reading. But I have absolutely no interest in that and I suspect I am not alone. Apologies to all my sundial friends here but sundial facts and figures are as boring as you get. If I was a teacher I would say, okay class we are going to make a sundial together. We will figure out how to make one, then we will make one, then we will figure out why it works. The process of choosing what to use for a gnomon, where is the best location for the sundial, what angle should the gnomon be directed... are all important lessons in themselves and lead to a complete understanding of how a sundial works and why. It seems simple enough to me and you don't even need to buy anything. Use the 500 pounds to take the class on a field trip to see existing sundials around your area. Then stop at McDonalds and buy them all lunch and make a sundial with your bag of fries. They will remember that forever. brent Thanks, Brent, for your message - and what you suggested might be OK for where you are, but this would probably be a non-starter here in the UK. I appreciate that you are not a teacher (and will be unfamiliar with how things are done here) - but the amount of approval and 'paperwork' which should be needed for your nice idea, would make it absolutely horrendous. Apart from all the parental approvals necessary to take the children on the sort of 'field trip' you mentioned - we would certainly be unlikely to get permission, to take them to any McDonalds fast food restaurant ! In the UK, there is very much a 'healthy eating' policy at schools - and (on school grounds or excursions), the children are only really allowed to eat foods which the local Educational Authority has deemed satisfactory. If they want to choose their own 'fast food', it needs a disclaimer from parents, agreeing that they will be responsible for any resulting issues. Apart from that, here in Bexhill-on-Sea (East Sussex) - the only really interesting sundial WAS the 'Human' analemmatic on the sea-front - but it had eventually been removed, because of all the trouble which it caused. That is one of the reasons why we cannot get one into our school - though 'across the border' in West Sussex, there is no problem with such layouts. As I indicated before, each Educational Authority makes its own 'rules'. You are obviously the sort of person who likes to 'investigate' things for yourself (and learn from your own mistakes) - but, unfortunately, that is not how the UK educational system works these days. Britain used to be a nation of inventors - although that is now long gone, due to 'politics'. Sincerely, Martina Addiscott. --- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
Re: Sundials for teaching
In message 4db5c3a7.1040...@lindisun.demon.co.uk Tony Moss t...@lindisun.demon.co.uk wrote: I'm entirely in agreement with Jack Aubert about analemmatic dials for teaching purposes (having made or contributed to four of them myself). They are great fun and children love them but I'm not sure that they understand very much at all about how or why they work. So where is the potential for learning in that? Tony Moss Thanks again, Tony, for responding to my comments - and I look forward to seeing the 'modifications' you mentioned, if it gets through the filter, (which is why I had to reduce the size of your Multi-dial photograph). You may need to ask for some 'specialist' advice - but please check the website link I had given before, for the actual curriculum requirements. I would probably suggest making any 'Teaching Sundial' able to cope with every possible location - including Longitude, plus Southern Hemisphere. Although I shouldn't really say this, (but check with any other teachers that you know) - unfortunately these days it is more about ticking the curriculum boxes, to say that we have covered the subject in question. Whether the children have actually 'learned' anything (or even properly understood the concept), is largely irrelevant - just so long as we can demonstrate (to OFSTED inspectors) that the curriculum is implemented. No doubt it is this underlying bureaucracy which has led to a reduction in educational standards, over the years - as the children do not really get the time (or opportunity) to learn anything from first principles. We are therefore turning-out a generation of people who might know WHAT, but not WHY, things work - even though the level of 'what' they know is debatable, and they may not actually be able to think for themselves. It is no wonder that employers (or even Universities) are amazed at how a lot of young people leaving school do not seem to have basic skills. Sincerely, Martina Addiscott. --- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
Re: Analemmatic dials at schools ?
In message 4db41957.7040...@lindisun.demon.co.uk Tony Moss t...@lindisun.demon.co.uk wrote: Hi again Martina, With around 30,000 primary schools (in the UK alone), even if just 5% (1 in 20) of them bought a Teaching Sundial at a cost of (say) 500 Pounds - that is a 'turnover' of three-quarters-of-a-million ! Thinking about a worldwide market, you can see the possibilities. In the light of your comment I'd be interested to have your professional opinion on the potential my 'MultiDial' (recent jpeg sent) which was devised especially with schools in mind. These could be produced for much less than £500 and would be very durable in a school situation. Best Wishes Tony Moss Thankyou Tony, for the message to this Mailing List - asking me for my 'professional' opinion on your Multi-dial, for sale to schools. I am by no means an 'expert' on sundials, so (although I could have replied to you privately) - I decided to reply to the List members, so that other people could give their own thoughts on my comments. This certainly looks well-made and clearly marked, plus (as you had said previously) it does show the 'inter-relationship' between four basic types of sundial (horizontal/vertical, equatorial and polar). As a day progresses, people can easily see that the shadow 'tracks' across these in a slightly different way (but still showing the same time, on each). In demonstrating to children how a typical sundial works (and can indicate time fairly accurately), it is quite good. However, in terms of fulfilling the basic elements of the National Curriculum for schools - I think it would need to do a little more, and here are my (personal) suggestions for 'improvements' required. (a). The design is obviously intended for a fixed Latitude, and so would ideally need something to make it more 'universally' workable. (b). Similarly, it would also need to have the ability to be used at different Longitudes - otherwise the children would simply get a (wrong) impression that sundials never show correct clock time. (c). Ideally, some way to compensate for Daylight-saving changes. (d). Its only other main 'failing', is that is does not DIRECTLY demonstrate any varying change of the Seasons throughout a year. In a sense, a large version of Len Honey's Universal Ring Dial might be a better alternative - as long as it could in some way be adjusted for the Longitude of location, as well as its Latitude. If you are maybe thinking of selling your Multi-dials to schools (either in the UK or worldwide), then I would seriously advise you to do some simple 'market research' - before deciding to go into full manufacture, since there will obviously be some 'tooling-up' costs, as well as various other factors like postage and packing. From a school's point of view, the attractions of an interactive ground-level 'analemmatic' are that it covers most of the basic requirements - plus the Modern Sunclocks version automatically changes itself, so coping with our twice-yearly 'clock changes'. If only our Education Authority was not 'blinded' by their stupid view that Human Sundials are unsafe in a school situation, we had also intended to use it as an outdoor Art project - to brighten-up our playground with something useful/decorative, and vandal-proof. Anyway, I trust my brief comments (above) are of some use to you. Sincerely, Martina Addiscott. attachment: Multi-dial.jpg--- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
Are there any commercially-available 'Teaching Sundials', for schools ?
Is anyone aware of a commercially-available large 'Teaching Sundial', which would be suitable for fulfilling that part of the UK National Curriculum ? As many of you no doubt know, sundials are included in the Science section of that curriculum, but each school decides for themselves how to cover it. We had originally intended to mark an interactive analemmatic dial on to the playground - but our local Educational Authority will not give us their permission for that, because of the 'health and safety' implications (as basically they feel that such layouts are too dangerous for the children). It had also been suggested to us that a large globe-of-the-world might be a good way to cover the necessary aspects (Latitude/Longitude, daily rotation of the earth, night/day, annual change of seasons, etc) - but we feel that there has to be something better and more 'sundial-specific', if only we can trace suppliers of any suitable item being sold at a reasonable price. Len Honey at Science Replicas suggested an individual portable dial, for each pupil - but (apart from the cost), we think that those would soon get damaged (or simply 'go missing'). Instead, if this is possible, we would prefer one large 'demonstration' sundial - ideally in wood or plastic (not metal, as that would be expensive, plus too heavy for a teacher to hold). Though Mr Honey offered to have something specially designed/manufactured for volume sales to schools, it is likely to take some time to implement. Hence my plea to this Mailing List - asking if there are any 'commercial Teaching Sundials' already on the market, and if so, can anyone point me towards the supplier of them. We have a budget of 500 Pounds, for this. Sincerely, Martina Addiscott. -- --- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
Re: Are there any commercially-available 'Teaching Sundials', for schools ?
In message 4bf91f91-2e43-4531-8fdb-e98e9db0f...@thebells.net David Bell db...@thebells.net wrote: The only conceivable problem that I could suggest is related to the complaints (were they also from the UK?) of outdoor dials being an attractive nuisance. I can see a flock of unruly kids pushing and shoving to each have a go at the dial. Eventually someone would get hurt, and the local Council doesn't want to be liable... Dave Firstly, thanks to everyone who took the trouble to reply to my query. I do not really have the time to respond to you all, individually - but hope that the following will explain the situation, (and the rather ridiculous attitude adopted by Councils plus Educational Authorities, within the UK). As at least some of you will know, schools must (under the law) conduct a risk assessment of any new addition to the school buildings or grounds. Just as mentioned by Dave Bell and Frank King (though they were probably intended as 'tongue-in-cheek' comments), that is EXACTLY why we cannot get permission for a 'dangerous' Human Sundial painted on to our playground. Basically, the powers that be think that there will be arguments and/or fights between the pupils who want to use it as intended - but also those children who want to use at the same time for other things (and, yes, the central 'scale-of-months' does indeed look a bit like a Hopscotch grid). Not only that, but they feel that enticing (their words, not mine) kids into the sunshine is a 'bad thing' - in case it increases their chance of developing skin cancer in the future, and the Educational Authority does not want to get sued for injuries or health-related compensation claims. I do not know whether this is true or not, (perhaps someone on this List can confirm) - but I was told that schools in Australia have BANNED the use of analemmatic dials on playgrounds, for sunshine/skin cancer reasons. It seems that children in Australian schools must by law wear protective clothing (and hats) when outside in sunshine, within the school grounds. Anything which increases 'exposure-time' to sun, is actively discouraged. At least in the UK, there seems to be a general opinion that any 'public' Human Sundials are a cause of trouble - and I was referred to this page on the Modern Sunclocks website at: www.sunclocks.com/pics/fs-015.htm For all of those above reasons, our request has fallen upon deaf ears, which then led to my request for details on any other 'Teaching Dials'. Sincerely, Martina Addiscott. --- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
Re: altitude dial
In message 4d3ef531.1090...@zooplankton.co.uk Frank Evans frankev...@zooplankton.co.uk wrote: Almost every possible form of dial seems to have been devised already but I have not come across an altitude dial resembling an analemmatic dial in that the gnomon is moved with the seasons and the time curve is a single ellipse. The shepherd's dial is an altitude dial but with a gnomon fixed in place and more resembles the form of the double horizontal dial. Does an altitude dial with seasonally moving gnomon exist anywhere? Any help? Frank, 55N 1W Hello, Frank No doubt other experts will have their own suggestions, but the one which immediately springs to mind, is a Capuchin type of sundial. Although it usually has a movable date-scale (similar to the method used on analemmatic dials), the 'gnomon' is normally a slit through which the light will shine, to correctly align altitude of the sun. In principle, however, it might be possible to arrange some type of movable gnomon with a fixed scale - but I would need to think about that some more, before I could offer any workable solution on this. Maybe you have definitely 'discovered' a new type of altitude dial. Sincerely, Martina Addiscott. P. S. - Have a good Rabbie Burns Night, over there in the U.K. ! -- --- https://lists.uni-koeln.de/mailman/listinfo/sundial
