Axe ’Em, Jacks!
Important!
- If you hear or feel a ratcheting sound (*click, click, click*), you have reached the limit of travel for the globe. Do not attempt to rotate the globe beyond this place by hand as it may damage the internal mechanism. Turn the hand wheel in the opposite direction.
- The limits are because the sundial is located in the morning shadow of the Cole STEM Building therefore the sundial will not rotate to show time before 10:15 a.m. The afternoon limit is 5:00 p.m.
Operating Instructions
View animation of how to read the sundial.
- Stand at the back of the sundial facing north.
- Locate the hand-wheel on the right side of the sundial.
- Rotate the hand-wheel so that the sunburst at the top of the globe is pointing toward the sun and casting a shadow on the curved bronze analemma plate that is located on the inside bottom of the globe.
- Important!: If you hear or feel a ratcheting sound (*click, click, click*), you have reached the limit of travel for the globe. Do not attempt to rotate the globe by hand as it will damage the mechanism. Rotate the hand wheel in the opposite direction.
- Observe the spot of sunlight at the center of the shadow.
- The analemma is the figure 8 ribbon on the bronze plate. This gives the time correction.
Each month is represented on the analemma by Roman numerals inside their own cartouche beside the ribbon:
- Rotate the hand wheel and place the sun spot onto the analemma ribbon for the current month. The example above is for a day in early October.
- The triangle on the vernier points to the current time on the hour circle. The hours are sub-divided into 15-minute increments.
- In the above figure, the pointer is about one third the way between 11:30 and 11:45, therefore the time is 11:40.