National Research Council Canada
www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
Common menu bar links
Institutional links
Sundial
Information found on this page has been archived and is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. Please visit NRC's new site for the most recent information.
Archived Content
Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats by contacting us.
Create a simple sundial by using a box approximately 25 cm high. Set it up on a flat surface in a sunny location outside so that one corner always points North.
Attach a large piece of paper to the North corner of the box and position it East - West. The size of the paper should be twice the height of the box. Mark the points where the North and South corner sit on the paper.
Each day mark the shadow of the tip of the North corner at the following times: 8 a.m., 12 Noon, and 4 p.m. Record the time of the observation beside the marked shadow. At the end of the day, draw a smooth, curved line through the three points.
Are the shadow marks always the same? If not, how do the shadow marks differ from day to day?
