Oops, oops--My bad! Before anyone corrects me, I meant to say, of course, the Earth's rotation in relation to the sun...
I was thinking "year" and writing "day"... Ryan Weh wrote: > Ahh, but sundials *do* have moving parts. That is, the entire Earth as it > orbits the sun! :o) > > I recently got interested in sundials by thinking about techniques used to > tell time when technology was young. Sundials are fascinating, and by > drawing many diagrams and being obsessed with the subject for a few days, I > discovered many things about them. I'm making a very simple paper one > (Would it be called "equitorial"?--the dial plate is perpendicular to the > gnomon) to set in my office window right now. > > By the way, I found out about this sundial mailing list from "Sundials on > the Internet". > > I have some questions and contributions (I've been thinking about making a > Flash animation showing some sundial properties). > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Paul Murphy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: Sundial <[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, October 15, 1999 9:56 AM > Subject: The magic which is a dial! > > > The current discussion on the mathematics of dialling is fascinating and > > very valuable, especially to a non-mathematician like me. What it does > bring > > out is the human complexity of the simple device which is the sundial. > > > > Here is an ancient instrument which embodies astronomy and mathematics in > > its calculation, skill and craftsmanship in its manufacture, visual art in > > the beauty of its many and various designs, and literacy and philosophy in > > the mottoes normally associated with it. Through the ages man has lavished > > his may talents on making it and even in this day of the atomic clock, is > > still in awe at it. And yet it is the simplest of manufactured devices, > with > > no moving parts. > > > > Is it any wonder it is a subject of such fascination to us all? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
