2013

NY5264 : The 'Human Sun Clock' at Walton School

taken 11 years ago, near to Walton, Cumbria, England

The 'Human Sun Clock' at Walton School
The 'Human Sun Clock' at Walton School
I have seen a few similar "human sundials", but this must be the best.
If a child stands on the current month, then his or her shadow will be cast on the ground to indicate the time. In the winter months (blue) the sun is lower in the sky and so casts a longer shadow, reaching the blue numbers. In the summer the sun is higher and so the red numbers come into play.
This is the only such dial that I have seen which deliberately includes the "British Summer Time" correction. There may be problems around late March or late October, but I am sure that the teachers would be able to explain them. The whole dial is, of course, not very accurate, but must be a superb way of demonstrating the (apparent) motion of the Sun both through the day and through the seasons.
Unfortunately when I was there the sky, though bright, was covered in low, thin cloud and so I could not carry out a 'personal' observation.

Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright David Purchase and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
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NY5264, 65 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
David Purchase   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Thursday, 30 May, 2013   (more nearby)
Submitted
Sunday, 9 June, 2013
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NY 5212 6449 [10m precision]
WGS84: 54:58.3627N 2:44.9701W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NY 5212 6449
View Direction
NORTH (about 0 degrees)
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Image classification(about): Supplemental image
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