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Daylight-Saving Sundial

 Red sky at night, shepherd's delight.
 
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Sundials are better than clocks - something I think we can all agree with. That said, they do tend to stray off the mark come the end of Summertime.

Who wants a sundial that tells the wrong time for 6 months of the year? Nobody, that's who. You can already get those sundials with two sets of numbers, one for winter, one for summer, but such a numerical mess is hardly user-friendly.

It would be much simpler to make the central perpendicular spine portable, moving it (accoring to my extensive calculations) 1.74 inches to the left and holding it steady with a simple tongue-and-groove or dovetail joint. Hey presto! It's 3 o clock! You can check for accuracy by looking at the clock on the microwave.

—kpx, Nov 27 2003

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       //the central perpendicular spine portable// - this is the gnomon

Red sky at night, the refinery's alight
—hippo, Nov 28 2003
   

       //Sundials are better than clocks - something I think we can all agree with. That said, they do tend to stray off the mark come the end of Summertime//   

       They're also really bad after sunset (although you could use a flashlight).
—Cedar Park, Nov 28 2003
   

       // They're also really bad after sunset //   

       Just use one on the opposite side of the planet, via a webcam. Or mirrors.
—benjamin, Nov 28 2003
   

       You're worried about accuracy when stating that //a sundial ... tells the wrong time for 6 months of the year//. Summer time lasts for around 7 months (end of March to end of October), and non-Summer time for around 5 months. Summer time, and the living is easy.
—PeterSilly, Nov 28 2003
   

       <useless fact> The central perpendicular spine is called a gnomon </uf>
—hazel, Nov 28 2003
   

       mine has got no gnome on!
—po, Nov 28 2003
   

       You can get sundials which indicate the adjustment you need to make to the time based on the time of the year. (It's not just daylight savings you need to worry about.)
—DrCurry, Nov 28 2003
   

       // Just use one on the opposite side of the planet, via a webcam. Or mirrors. //   

       No no no - use a Moon Dial obviously (harder to calibrate though).
—dobtabulous, Nov 28 2003
   

       Nah [UB] - it's just that you have hot winters and cool summers.
—PeterSilly, Nov 28 2003
   

       Oops - here's a problem with this one... the time changes come about at 2 AM - when the sun is not out!
—elegyjay, Mar 25 2004
   

       How about a wrist sundial?
—creebharble, Mar 26 2004
   


 

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