Hi all, Doug Bateman's excellent noon window dial at the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, Farnborough, is essentially a "beaded" analemma with one spot per day. It uses slightly larger spots for days 5,10,15,20,25 and the last day of the month. Days 10,20 and last (whether 28,30 or 31) are numbered. This was a carefully considered choice, maximising the eveness of the spacing, legibility, and the best way of conveying the information. The scheme avoids the awkward short space of 1 to 5, or the inconvenience of the 6,11... sequence. The only disadvantage is that the observer is left to deduce that the first day of the month follows 28, 30 or 31 - most visitors to DERA manage this!
The dial is illustrated in the BSS Bulletin Vol 12(i) pp42-44 February 2000. Regards, John -------------------------------------- Dr J R Davis Flowton, UK 52.08N, 1.043E email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Original Message ----- From: John Carmichael <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <sundial@rrz.uni-koeln.de> Sent: 03 October 2000 16:03 Subject: beaded analemma date sequence > Hello All: > > Ron Anthony and I have been having a discussion concerning the proper date > sequence of a "beaded" analemma (an analemma which has dates marked on it). > > We noticed that the Shadows sundial generator program has analemmas with the > following dates of each month: 1,6,11,16,21,26. Why would this sequence be > better than: 1,5,10,15,20,25? Certainly the average sundial user would find > it easier to read 1,5,10 etc. > > John Carmichael > Tucson Arizona > >
