Hello friends,
I've been following the discussion about Italian hours sundials with great interest, since dials with Italian hours labeled in countdown fashion have been a passion of mine for many years.
The focus of the discussion has been on dials where the Italian hour lines appear as straight lines and the number of hours since sunset (or, hours to sunset -- H2SS) are read by looking where the shadow of a nodus falls on the dial face.
I have made a lot of such dials (but always as H2SS) and still do, but I want to point out to those who don't see the NASS Compendiums regularly that one doesn't have to use a nodus. Over the past 18 months or so I've made H2SS dials which use shadow planes and H2SS dials which use polestyles.
The shadow plane models I wrote about in the December 2008 issue have no shadow casting unit, either nodus or polestyle, but rather have a moveable vane to be turned edgewise to the Sun. The H2SS are read on a scale. See photo1.jpg.
The June 2009 issue has a brief description of another shadow plane H2SS dial, one which permits more accurate reading. See photo2.jpg.
In the September 2009 issue are pictures of two polar H2SS dials which use polestyles. See photo3.jpg.
Most recently, the March 2010 issue has pictures of horizontal and direct south-facing H2SS dials which use polestyles. These sundials also work as shadow plane dials. See photo4.jpg.
These designs might not be to everybody's liking, but I did want to show that there are alternatives to the usual Italian hours dials.
If anyone wants better photos, let me know off list and I'll send some along.My last mentioned article concludes with the statement, "It has been said often that new ideas are rare in dialing, so I am pretty sure polestyle H2SS dials have been made before. I would be pleased to learn when, and by whom."
No replies so far. Best wishes, Mac Oglesby
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