The Sundial

Joe Peck, 3/26/14, 6th Period

The sundial is the oldest device used to tell time. The time is estimated by the shadow casted by the sun as it moves across the sky. There are many types of sundials but the most common is the horizontal sundial. There are two parts of the horizontal sundial, the base and the gnomon. The gnomon is the stick that casts the shadow on a sundial. The first forms of sundials were made by the Egyptians. The Egyptians built large obelisks that acted as giant upright gnomons which casted shadows. Obelisks are big four sided pillars that come to a pyramid at the top. These were very simple sundials and relied on the length of the shadow to give an estimated time of day. Sundials became more accurate after the invention of the horizontal sundial. In the horizontal sundial the gnomon is tilted to correct the earths tilted axis. The first horizontal sundial was made by Theodosius of Bithynia some time around 130 B.C. He was a Roman mathematician and astronomer who lived from around 100 and 160 B.C. Bringing together astronomy and mathematics was a huge advancement in the accuracy of a sundial. Early astronomers accepted that the Earth rotates around the sun and the earth is on a 23.5 degree angle. Because the sun is closer to one half of the earth during part of the year, (summer), and farther away from the other half, (winter), to make a sundial accurate, the gnomon must be placed at an angle and face north. Based on your location, a latitude triangle is calculated and is used as the gnomon. One edge of the latitude triangle must be pointing to the North Celestial Pole in order for the shadow cast to be accurate. This advancement was used in all types of sundials, even the early hand held sundials. Early civilizations such as the Egyptians, Europeans, Greeks, and Muslims used some form of the sundial to measure time. Even with our current technology, sundials are still used today. For example, farmers and just regular people in Japan and China use sundials because they have no source of electricity. A sundial is still one of the most accurate ways to tell time.

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