Astronomy

Sundial

Thanakorn Angkasirisan 5861166 , Nitit kaveevorasart 5861080

Chawakorn Khemtai 5861019 , Kooltawatch Jeerataweesook 5861053

Phurit Chodpattarawanit 5861091

Introduction

Since time immemorial, the concept of time has been

a significant factor of human lives. Therefore, the world has

never been the same since the first record of sundial in 293

BC.

The early intelligence of mankind is perfectly exemplified in the sundial, an

ancient creation that has stood the test of time literally through its innovative

precedence and quintessential significance. It allowed man to tell time for the very first

time, and today, it stands as more than just a garden ornament : the sundial is the basis

for the modern-day clock and the model of necessary technologies that todays society

could not live without.

For more than three millennia, people have realized that the sun could be used to

tell the time of day. Consequently, they learned how to construct instruments called

Sundials. It works according to fascinating astronomical concepts. A shadow cast by the

Sun indicates the time of day on a Sundial. On a sunny morning, set the Sundial in

direct sunlight, with the line on the board running from north to south. A magnetic

Compass is needed to get the direction. (If you don't have one, position your board on a

cloudless night and line it up with the Polaris). The length of the shadow that falls on the

Sundial and the indications on the Sundial will tell the time of the day.
Early instrumentation
The study and science of time measurement is

called horology. Time is measured with instruments

such as a clock or calendar. These instruments can

be anything that exhibits two basic components: a

regular, constant, or repetitive action to mark off equal

increments of time, and a means of keeping track of

the increments of time and of displaying the result.

 The oldest clock was most likely Earth

as it is related to the Sun, Moon, and stars. As

Earth rotates, the side facing the Sun changes,

leading to its apparent movement from one

side of Earth, rising across the sky, reaching a

peak, falling across the rest of the sky, and

eventually disappearing below Earth on the

opposite side to where it earlier appeared.

Then, after a period of darkness, the Sun

reappears at its beginning point and makes its

journey again. This cyclical phenomenon of a

period of brightness followed by a period of

darkness led to the intervals of time now known as a day and night. Little is known

about the details of timekeeping in prehistoric eras, but wherever records and artifacts

are discovered, it is found that these early people were preoccupied with measuring and

recording the passage of time.

Measuring time by the Sun, the Moon and the Stars, as the sun moves across

the sky, shadows change in direction and length, so a simple sundial can measure the

length of a day. It was quickly noticed that the length of the day varies at different times

of the year. The reasons for this difference were not discovered until after astronomers

accepted the fact that the earth travels round the sun in an elliptic orbit, and that the

earth's axis is tilted at about 26 degrees. This variation from a circular orbit leads to the
Equation of Time which allows us to work out the difference between 'clock' time and

'sundial time'.
Sundial, Water Clock, and Sand Clock
Before the time of mechanical, battery, and digital clock, ancient people had

created instruments to measure time from a nature aspect; they are sundial, water

clock, and sand clock. A sundial measures time from the passage of the sun and the

cast shadow on the daytime. On the other hand, an hourglass measures time by

controlling the flow of a substance; this may be water, known as water clock, or sand,

known as sand clock. The mechanism of a sundial and an hourglass is different while

water and

sand clock

are nearly

the same.
Principle of sundials
In general, sundials indicate the time by casting a shadow of a gnomon onto a

surface known as a dial face or dial plate. Although usually a flat plane, the dial face

may also be the inner or outer surface of a sphere, cylinder, cone, helix, and various

other shapes, in this case is a half circle. Sundial works as the earth rotates about its

axis, the sun appear to move across the sky. The emitted light hits the object cast the

shadow. The shadow of gnomon moves by time, arrange with different hour lines, as

the sun goes across the sky. The dial marking and the shade allow to know the time of

the day. In the morning, the sun rises east, the shadow casts west. At noon, the sun is

directly at the top and casts shadow at the middle of the scale. Finally, sunset in west,

the shadow goes rightward of the dial, knowing it is turning to evening and sundial can

no longer work.
Accuracy of sundial
A sundial can be perfectly accurate with

a proper construction. It needs to be adjusted

according to the latitude of the location it is

placed. However, the shadow casted by the

sun is not sharp. It is hard to determine the

accurate time in minutes and seconds.

Advantages and disadvantages of sundial
With the use of this ancient clock, there are both advantages and disadvantages

of it. When a sundial is properly constructed, it is able to determine local solar time

moderately accurately, and is not dependent on possibly inaccurate physical processes.

Moreover, sundial is environmentally friendly and is easy to make. However, sundial

cannot be used during night or when the sky is covered with clouds because there is no

big source of light that casts the shadow. Also, the accuracy for a sundial placing away

from the equator require a better correction as the sun varies throughout the year.

sundial in the cloudy day

Materials

1. 13.75 horizontal dial plate

2. Gnomon

3. Box

4. Cover paper

5. Sun
Procedure

1. Print out the a 13.75 horizontal sundial in a half circle shape with

degrees labelled to 180 degrees.

2. Stick a tilt up arrow gnomon with the head directed upside toward the

True North. The arrow must cut the semicircle symmetrically.

3. Place the sundial on a base to make it strong to be able to stand on a

grou

nd.

4. P

ut

the

sun

dial

in

an

ope

area under the sunlight.

5. Find the true North using compass and point the head of the arrow to

the North.
Look at the time

1pm!
Objective
apply the knowledge in astronomy about sun-earths movement to create a sundial
Conclusion
In spite of the advent of more technologically advanced time tellers, we, the

creators of this project, still find it important to learn about sundial. This is because of

the age-old inventions cultural and educational significance regarding the fields of

astronomy.

After creating a sundial, and testing it over and over, we found it intriguing to be

informed about this subject matter, and we are proud of our product and its result, no

matter how less convenient it is to utilize relative to actual clocks. And, in the future, if

the opportunity is provided, we will be happy to create a sundial again.

We truly hope that the knowledge about sundial will be passed to the next

generations, so that the concept of this innovation will stand through the test of time.

Recommendation
In the future, if having to create a sundial, we will be reminded to ensure the

materials strength and resistance. We will look for stronger materials, and most

preferably, waterproof ones. We will also put more decorations for it to be more colorful

and appealing.

References
Sundial. (n.d.). Retrieved November 09, 2017, from http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Sundial

A Sundial as an Accurate Time-piece. (n.d.). Retrieved November 09, 2017, from

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-sun-dial-as-an-accurate-time-piec/

(n.d.). Retrieved November 09, 2017, from https://nrich.maths.org/6070

Poidevin, R. L. (2000, August 28). The Experience and Perception of Time. Retrieved November

09, 2017, from https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/time-experience/