Sundial

By

Nattawin Chompooteep (5861074)

Aticha Chanopas (5861006)

Wina Montian (5861183)

Chanon Anektanasup (5861016)

Thanon Thamvorapol (5861060)

Kanin Jaroensattayatham (5861045)

Astronomy

Mr. Gopinath Subramanian Mahidol University International Demonstration

School

Semester 1 Academic Year 2017-2018

Table of Contents Abstract…………………..…………………………….……….………..………….……….…….……….……………..……….. 2

Objective…………………..…………………..…………………………….……….…………….………..…………………..……….3

Introduction (Background information)………………….……….……….…….…..………………….4

Advantages and Disadvantages…………………..………….…….………….……….…..……………………….5

Materials…………………..……………………..………….…………………..…….………….……….….………………………..6 Procedure…………………..……………………………………….…………………….……….…….……………..……………………..7

Pictures…………………..………………………………………………….………….……….………….……….……….…………..8-10

Results……………………………………………………………..………………….……….……….…….…….………………….…………11

How sundial work…………………………………………………………………….……….……….…….………………..…………12

Recommendation……..…………………..………………………………….………..…….……….………...……………. 13

Fact about sundial……..…………………..……………………..…….……….….……….……….…..…………….14

References…………………..…………………..…………………………….……….…….……….……………….…………………15

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Abstract

This project includes the creation of a sundial, which is a device used to indicate time within a day while using the sunlight as a tool. From this project, a sundial was created successfully, incorporating the knowledge about the fact that planet Earth rotates about it ownself and with the rotation, the position of the sun that is visible to the eyes of human changes with our own creativity in the process of working on the project. Moreover, the techniques mentioned in class such as the accuracy of angles and scales were applied in our final product.

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Objective

The objectives of this project are to know the concept that the earth move around the sun in an ordinary fashion, to understand the history of sundial, to understand the function of sundial and apply the astronomical lesson to real life.

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Background Information

We might notice that when we arrive at school in the morning, the sun that shines on one side of the school, and in the afternoon when we leave the school, the Sun shines on the other side. This phenomenon occurs because of the Sun movement that moves across the sky.

In the age that clocks are not created, people determine the time via the movement of the Sun, resulting in constructing sundials. Sundials are simply motionless vertical object such as pole that placed on a flat surface. For sundial, the pole is gnomon, and the flat surface is the dial. Coincidently, when the Sun moves toward the sky, the expansion and position of the shadow cast on the dial by the gnomon will be distinct. During the sunrise and sunset period, the shadow is most extended. On the other hand, the during local noon, the shadow is shortest.

Within this project, we will construct a sundial and determine the given time. Moreover, we will compare the time that we find from the sundial with the time that occurs on our watch or phone.

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Materials

1. Plywood

2. Saw

3. Glue

4. Papers

5. Permanent Markers

6. Acrylic Colors

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Procedures

1. Making Sundial a. Making the plan b. Assign the members role c. Get the materials d. Use the saw to cut a plywood into a circular shape e. Use the Acrylic Colors to paint the face of the clock f. Measure the degree g. Place the number on the face of the wood h. Stick the numbers on the wood i. Cut another wood into a triangular shape for a gnomon j. Stick the gnomon on the wood

2. Testing the Sundial

a. Place the sundial by facing the gnomon to the north b. Observe the shadow whatever the shadow leads to on the dial c. Compare the time that get from the sundial and the actual time d. Take note the result

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Results

 Our group place a sundial by the gnomon facing to the north at half-past eleven. The result came out rather accurate as the shadow that shows in the sundial is the same as the time in our phone.

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How sundial work The Earth is rotating around itself as well as orbiting around the

Sun, this makes the sun look like moving across the sky and having cast shadow. A sundial consists of gnomon; a thin rod which sticked on a half circle platform labelled with different time period. As the Sun changes position over time in a day, the shadow casted from rod will change its position indicating the current time. The calculation of sundial clock due to the sun is not relatively straight from Earth as well as the Earth’s tilt of 23.5 degrees. Also, the Sun is not in the same position across the Earth, so it is very important to make the sundial well calculated in order to indicate correct time. (Yale Scientific,22 Nov 2008)

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Recommendation The hour and minute marking should be more precise, citing

more time frame for a better result at reading the time.

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Fact about Sundial

1.) Sundial are are in use since ancient times until early 19th century.

2.) The sundial is one of the world’s oldest scientific instruments.

3.) When the Sun position is highest at midday the shadow length will be short and when the position is lower in the sky, shadows are longer.

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References

BLATEYRON, F. (n.d.). Understanding sundials. Retrieved November 03, 2017,

from https://www.shadowspro.com/en/sundials.html

W. (2017, October 23). How to Make a Sundial. Retrieved November 03,

2017, from https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Sundial

Facts About Sundials And Shadow Clocks. (2016, November 19). Retrieved November 09, 2017, from http://someinterestingfacts.net/facts-sundials-shadow-clocks/

Yale Scientific. (22 Nov 2008). How do sundials work? Retrieved at 6 November 2017, from http://www.yalescientific.org/2008/11/how-do-sundials-work/

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https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Sundialhttp://someinterestingfacts.net/facts-sundials-shadow-clocks/http://www.yalescientific.org/2008/11/how-do-sundials-work/