gnomon

A design of azimuth sundial to go in a garden

Azimuth sundial on 10 October at 11.10am

On 10 October the autumn equinox has passed and the cursor reading point has moved out from the inner circle of the dial towards winter solstice at the circumference. The sighting arm carries a short vertical gnomon which casts its shadow in line with the sun.

The azimuth sundial is an intriguing instrument. It finds the time from the direction of the sun. This idea sounds simple, the sun rises in the East, at Noon it is due South, and it sets again in the West, but it is complicated by the time of year. This note is about a new design for a precision azimuth sundial to go in a garden. Continue reading

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Armillary sundial on the day of autumn equinox at noon

Armillary sundial on the day of the autumn equinox at noon

Every day at noon the gnomon rod casts its shadow on the centre line of the meridian band. When the day of spring or autumn equinox arrives the two orb balls cast a double shadow onto the meridian band. Away from the equinox, only one orb shadow will show.

Our armillary sundial casts distinctive shadows at noon on the day of autumn equinox, as seen in the photo. Its unique design allows the noon shadow of the gnomon rod to fall on the broad meridian band at its centre line. The two orb balls also cast their noon shadow onto the meridian band. Continue reading

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Calibrating a new obelisk sundial in stone

Inclined test dial facing east

This dial stone is a test piece for the new obelisk sundial, and is on a board at the correct angle for one of the faces of the obelisk. It faces East and inclines 61° to horizontal so the shadow of the temporary plastic gnomon will show the time.

Obelisk sundials carved in stone were popular in Scotland in the 17th and 18th centuries. Quite recently stonemasons in Fife have done the work to carve a new obelisk sundial for one of their clients. Its dials have remained blank for mathematical calibration. Macmillan Hunter are responsible for the calibration and have supplied detailed dial instructions and drawings for the mason to use together with the required set of geometric bronze gnomons. Continue reading

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North alignment on a Victorian pedestal

Sun direction measured with an angle finder

The direction of the sun measured against one edge of the octagonal stone pedestal using the angle finder and light slit

A Victorian sundial pedestal stands in the gardens of Riccarton estate outside Edinburgh. It once held a beautiful octagonal dial which is now in safe storage. A replacement dial is to go on show and it must be in a correct orientation. The gnomon on a sundial must point north. A wrong alignment will make the sundial inaccurate, and nothing on the 19th century pedestal actually marks the north. Continue reading

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An 18th century horizontal garden sundial

A beautiful 18th century horizontal garden sundial

A historic horizontal bronze garden sundial, 1723

A fine 18th century horizontal sundial stands in the gardens of the House of Dun near Montrose. The dial is octagonal made in bronze set in a carved and moulded stone raised on a baluster pedestal and stone step. Elegant tracery scroll work supports the gnomon.

The dial engraving is detailed employing delicacy of variation in deep and light incisions and ornament. The chapter ring carries exact time divisions down to a single minute. Continue reading

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Skein of geese art installation at RSPB Loch Lomond

Skein of geese art installation at RSPB Loch Lomond

Skein Dial, Hannah Imlach, 2023. Art installation and sundial at RSPB Loch Lomond, with the artwork constructed in Corten steel in the foreground and the towering mass of Ben Lomond in the distance. This is a remarkable piece that captures the ephemeral impression of geese in flight and shows the dates when they migrate by a sundial shadow. Photo: Hannah Imlach

In November 2022 visual artist Hannah Imlach approached us to talk about an art installation she had in mind for the RSPB Nature Reserve at Loch Lomond. The reserve is a prime site where Greenland White-fronted geese come and overwinter. Hannah’s concept for her artwork was a visual image of skeins of geese flying in the sky combined with a sundial showing the times when the geese arrive and leave. White-fronted geese migrate from Greenland in the autumn and return there in the springtime to breed. Continue reading

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Sundial restoration at Butterton church turns up a mystery engraving

Brass sundial plate turned over and showing engraved writing on the back

The engraving looks like Gothic script but we didn’t know how to read it. We do hope to learn more about this extraordinary discovery on the back of a brass sundial. So far it has proved a mystery.

The Church of St Bartholomew in the lovely Staffordshire village of Butterton in the Peak District stands on high ground. Its tall spire is visible for miles around. Just near the church’s south porch there is a sundial. The sundial pedestal may once have been part of a medieval stone cross, and the dial made of brass Continue reading

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Restoration of a small brass garden sundial from the 1930s

Brass sundial from the 1930s restored with a new gnomonThis small brass garden sundial had lost its gnomon. It is dearly loved by its owner who has known it since childhood, and she wanted to have it restored. As often happens at different times the family moved home and the sundial moved too. Continue reading

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The last of our songbird sundials flies to Paris

Orbdial sundial design with songbird gnomon

This design is a form of universal sundial. It is adjustable and we build it for its intended latitude.

The last of our songbird sundials has flown away. It now has a new home in a new country, in Paris. This special design appeals to the eye and has intriguing gnomonic features. The new owner already knew that the Orbdial was the one they wanted. Continue reading

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Accurate Solar Time Sundial Installed in a North London Garden

Accurate Solar Time sundial installed and set up at the exact time of local Noon

The sundial is in our client’s garden in North London. The sundial faces due south. We set it up at Noon on 28 November, using accurate corrections for the Equation of Time and local Longitude. The photo shows Solar Time at 12.30pm.

The world of solar time has fascinating ideas to explore. Our accurate sundial is almost a compendium of what a sundial can do. The client’s wish was something special for their newly created garden, and our design of a vertical sundial display appealed to them. Continue reading

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