I have recently discovered the newsgroup about sundials. Here is a text
in complement of the last message of C. Lusby-Taylor about the equation of
time. Hoping it will contribute to the debate.
As for myself I am of course interested in sundials from all points of
view. I belong to the french Commission des Cadrans Solaires of the Societe
Astronomique de France. My main interests are in the recording and filing of
ancient sundials and more specially in Brittany; and also in the computation of
any kind of sundials.
Yours sincerely
J.P. CORNEC
Here is the text :
I have just dicovered the debate about Equation of Time and Analemma.
In complement to the last message of C. Lusby-Taylor, may I mention that tables
of Equation of Time were published pretty early, as soon as the 16 th century,
in relation with the first planetary tables. An example from 1528 is given in
the june 1995 issue of "L'Astronomie", bulletin of the french Socie'te'
Astronomique de France, in an article by J. Meeus et D. Savoie. That paper was
dealing with the history, the meaning , the computation of the Equation of Time
, and, especially, its changes through the centuries. It is true that, as long
there was no precise and stable clocks, i.e. not before late 17th or early 18th
century, there was no point to bother about the difference between solar and
mean time in the everyday life, where, anyway, these times have only meaning
from the equal hours point of view.
J.P. Cornec
