Designing a Sundial from
Scratch
Roger Bailey
NASS 2003 Banff
Designing a Sundial from Scratch
No reference books
No computers or design software
No Internet access
Use Greek geometry: Ruler and Compass
Use geometric construction
Extend geometry to derive trigonometry
Protractor? Trig tables? Calculator?
Teambuilding exercise?
Equinoctial Tangent Line
10
11
12
Equinoctial Tangent Line
Picture an Armillary Sphere
or equatorial sundial looking
down the polar axis at
Equatorial plane
Equatorial disc as a circle,
time angles 15
Angles (90, 60, 45, 30,15)
using ruler and compass
Horizontal Tangent line
8
10 11 12
d = r Tan t
Equinoctial Tangent Line
10 11 12
Equinoctial Line defines the
Polar Sundial where the plane
is parallel to the gnomon
Equatorial Line is the
intersection line at the base of
horizontal and vertical south
facing sundials
The gnomon intersection
point and the distances on
4 define the hour angles for
horizontal and vertical
sundials
Planar Sundials
Ve
rti
ca
lP
la
ne
Ve
rti
ca
lS
un
di
al
l
it a
c
o
in
u
Eq
c
is
lD
a
i
or
t
a
u
Eq
Horizontal Plane
ne
i
L
t
en
g
n
a
T
Horizontal Sundial
Gnomon Base Lengths
Gnomon Bases on the planes are the
hypotenuse of the right angle triangles with
one side = r and containing the Latitude.
On Vertical Plane: Base = r / Cos Lat
On Horizontal Plane: Base = r / Sin Lat
Gnomon
e
as
lB
ta
on
riz
Ho
Lat
10 11 12
r
Lat
Ve
ca
rti
s
Ba
Gnomon Base Lengths
Use the tangent line and r to find
the gnomon base lengths for the
latitude and co-latitude for
horizontal and vertical dials.
10 11 12
Gnomon Base Lengths
Use the tangent line and r to find
the gnomon base lengths for the
latitude and co-latitude for
horizontal and vertical dials.
Draw the gnomon base vertically
from the tangent point to set the
gnomon intersection with the
plane
10 11 12
Hour Lines
Use the tangent line and r to find
the gnomon base lengths for the
latitude and co-latitude for
horizontal and vertical dials.
C
Draw the gnomon base vertically
from the tangent point to set the
gnomon intersection point C with
the plane
Draw Hour Lines from C to the
hour points on the tangent line
8
10 11 12
Vertical Sundial
CV
Lat
r
8
10 11 12
Draw right angle triangle to
determine gnomon base length.
Latitude angle at centre of disc,
radius is from centre to tangent
point
Hypotenuse (Gnomon Base) is
= r / Cos Lat. Draw to set
gnomon intersection point CV
with vertical plane
Draw Hour Lines from base to
tangent line distances
Tan HA = r Tan t / base or
Tan HA = Tan t x Cos Lat
Horizontal Sundial
CH
r
8
Lat
10 11 12 1 2
Draw right angle triangle to
determine gnomon base length.
Latitude angle at tangent line;
radius is from disc centre to
tangent point
Hypotenuse (Gnomon Base) is
= r / Sin Lat. Draw to set
gnomon intersection point CH
with horizontal plane
Draw Hour Lines from base to
tangent line distances
Tan HA = r Tan t / base or
Tan HA = Tan t x Sin Lat
Problem with Infinity
Six oclock line is infinite but
defined
7 am and 5 pm are off scale
Turn the corner at 9 am and 3
pm (45)
Box the circle through gnomon
base point
10 11 12
Scale from diagonal line
(Waughs technique)
Finish the Dial
10 11 12
Lifes But a Walking Shadow
Delete the
construction lines
Add a border and
frame
Trim the hour lines
Add the numbers, text
and decoration
Vertical Declining Sundial
Vertical Declining Plane
Meridian
G
no
m
on
SH
SD
Dec Lat
Horizontal Plane
Treat declining sundial as
south facing equivalent
Solve VD Tetrahedron
for Substyle Distance SD
and Substyle Height SH
Vertical Meridian Plane
Horizontal Declination
Plane
Vertical SD Plane
Sloped SH Plane
Meridian Plane: Latitude Triangle
For all vertical planes
Vertical Declining Plane
Meridian
G
no
m
on
SH
For Meridian Plane
Gnomon is true length
Gnomon angle with
horizontal is true Latitude
SD
Dec Lat
Horizontal Plane
Gnomon points south
Noon shadow is vertical
CM = G x Sin (Lat)
MS = G x Cos (Lat)
Horizontal Plane: Declination Triangle
MH = MS x Sin(Dec)
MH = G x Cos(Lat) x
Sin(Lat)
Vertical Declining Plane
Meridian
G
no
m
on
SH
HS = MS x Cos(Dec)
HS = G x Cos(Lat) x
Cos(Dec)
SD
H
Lat
Dec
Horizontal Plane
Vertical Declining Plane
Vertical Declining Plane
Tan (SD) = MH / CM
C
Meridian
G
no
m
on
SH
SD
Tan(SD) = G x Cos(Lat) x
Sin(Dec)/(G x Sin(Lat))
Dec Lat
Horizontal Plane
Tan(SD) = Sin(Dec)/Tan(Lat)
Inclined Declining Plane
For Substyle Height SH
Vertical Declining Plane
Meridian
G
no
m
on
SH
SD
Sin(SH) = HS / G
Sin(SH) = G x Cos(Lat) x
Cos(Dec) / G
Dec Lat
Sin(SH) = Cos(Lat) x Cos(Dec)
Horizontal Plane
Substyle Distance & Height
45
Substyle
Distance
40
35
30
Tan SD = Sin Dec / Tan Lat
or
= Sin Dec x Tan CoLat
25
20
Substyle
Height
15
10
Sin SH = Cos Dec x Cos Lat
or
= Cos Dec x Sin CoLat
5
0
0
20
40
60
Wall Declination
80
100
Substyle Distance
increases with wall
declination from zero
to Co-Latitude
Substyle Height
decreases from CoLatitude to zero with
wall declination
Sundials from Scratch
Draw circle and Tangent Line
Draw time segments to Tangent Line
Find gnomon base point using the tangent line
Draw Hour Lines from base point to tangent
points
Scale from diagonal for hours near 6 oclock
For vertical declining dials, first solve VD
tetragon for Substyle Distance and Height