Here's one question that I have (and that perhaps gets asked a lot?): As far as the longitude/latitude terms, "degrees, minutes, seconds" (or does it go, hours, minutes, seconds?), what do these mean/does this apply to the time lengths of hours: minutes: seconds/what angle are each (or just Degrees, since minutes and seconds are 1/60th the previous)?
I would assume that each is the distance that the sun appears to move across the sky in a given amount of time. Thus, the time length of a second became the navigational length of a second (or vice-versa??). Is this correct, and are the same ideas applied to BOTH longitude/latitude? Ryan Weh 47N 34' 49" 122W 08' 37" -at work Tom McHugh wrote: > Typical tyros to sundials often ask questions framed in the > negative context, viz., > > Sundials never give the right time? > Sundials are difficult to use? > Sundials are only ornamental? > Sundials require a great deal of math to make? > > Then there are questions reflecting genuine confusion > amongst novices, i. e., > > Don't all sundial gnomons have to point to the North Pole? > Why do some sundials NOT have a slanting gnomon? > When I move to a new place, will my sundial work there? > I've corrected for EOT, and DST, but my sundial is still > wrong, Why? > > Technical questions a beginner might ask. > > I live in a City. My compass won't show true north, > I cannot see Polaris. How do I find NORTH (South)? > > What is the meaning of, INCLINING, DECLINING, > RECLINING? > > Can I use a Globe to tell time by? > > Those are a few questions I've been asked, or which > I asked many years ago. > > Tom McHugh > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Rt. 1, Box 896 > Fort Fairfield, ME 04742 > USA > > N 46° 45' 13" > W 67° 48' 42" > > ---------- > > > Attention Dialists! > > > > I'm feeling very frustrated. NASS put me in charge of accumulating from you > > all frequently asked sundial questions. This is a very important project > > since it will eventually be of great help to all beginning dialists, and > > even to some of you old timers. > > > > I have received many e-mails from beginners supporting the FAQ project, yet > > only ONE person, Bill Gottesman, has given me his list of questions! > > > > All of you are, or have been a beginning dialist. Just try to remember some > > of the basic questions that you had when you first started out then jot them > > down and send them to me. > > > > The British Sundial Society has expressed great interest in joining NASS in > > the FAQ project as well as a similar project to publish a glossary of > > sundial terms. It is my job to assemble FAQs from NASS members and you > > people on the sundial list. Someone else will do the same for BSS. Once we > > have a list questions and glossary terms we will probably form a binational > > committee to provide simple easy-to-understand answers to the questions and > > definitions of sundial terms. > > > > Next week I'll be sending letters by US mail to those NASS members who > > aren't on the net asking them for their questions. You guys could really > > help us out if you'd only send me a few good sundial questions. Any > > question is ok to submit, even or especially some of the questions that have > > appeared previously on the sundial list. > > > > PLEASE HELP! > > > > John Carmichael > > 925 E. Foothills Dr. > > Tucson Arizona 85718 > > USA > > e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > tel: 520-696-1709 > >
