Thursday, January 7, 2021

A Science Experiment

This is a cool sight for lots of reasons 
but today I will stay focused on the sun dial. 
 Haven't you wondered how to read one and do they really work?!  
Well, yes they do but some are only decorative; 
 you must have your latitude to have the angles right for it to be accurate.  The pretty ones you can buy for your garden are just that--pretty.  
That is why this is so interesting. 
 Go to Blocklayer to print your own on a piece of paper,
 cut it out and fold the center up on the printed lines. 
 They recommend slipping a stiffener in the 'wedge' that gives the shadow
 so I used a piece of 3 x 5 card cut to size and glued in place. 
 AND IT WORKS!  
Just point the triangle to due north
 and sure enough, that shadow falls right on the right time!  
What a cool experiment; 
 give it a try-you are never too old to enjoy science!   
 They also have templates like this so you can 'build' a more permanent sundial. And look at the name of the 'triangle'. 
 It is called a gnomon (pronounced no-mun)
Who knew?!
 I plan on cutting a circle out of wood and wood-burning the hour marks in place for a decorative and accurate sundial for my yard! 
Another pair of mitts to add to the pile!  
This is knit with gradated yarn so one pair is  lighter than the other
 but they are definitely a pair!

4 comments:

  1. My grandmother had a big metal sundial on a stand in her yard and I was always fascinated with it. It was just for decoration and I have no idea if it worked but it was pretty darn cool.

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  2. That is very fun; the kids and I will have to give it a shot! (With the sandy-looking background, at first glance I thought it was a seashell!)

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  3. There is a working sundial at the Arbor Lodge in Nebraska City where Arbor day was begun. We used to go there at least once a year and it always fascinated me how accurate it was. Of course you had to adapt for daylight savings time!
    The mitts are great and I'm sure your grands will love having them.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  4. Love those mitts! Our sundial gets quite a vacation at this time of year.

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