Time to take with you
Long before the wristwatches of today existed, people already appreciated portable timepieces. For this purpose, they used a ring-shaped sundial that they wore on a necklace. The AstroMedia Ring Sundial is perhaps a little too big for this, but nevertheless a real piece of jewellery. It shows its user the true solar time at any place on earth, as long as you know the latitude of the place as well as the month and day. Most importantly, unlike most other sundials, you don't need to know where the celestial directions are: The Ring Sundial will find north itself, provided you know whether it is before or after noon.
The parts of the ring sundial
The reading mark of the rotating suspension shows the position of the zenith, which is vertically above the observer. The opposite lowest point on the half of the celestial sphere that is invisible to us is called the nadir.
The meridian ring indicates the position of the so-called noon line, where the Sun is at its highest point. The hour ring shows the position of the celestial equator, in the middle of which lie the north and south celestial poles. Both ends of the sun position scale point in the same direction. The sliding pinhole in the sun position scale projects a tiny image of the sun onto the inner edge of the hour ring, where the time is read. Its position on the scale indicates the Sun's declination, which varies during the seasons.
This kit contains:
- 2 pre-cut and printed sheets of A4 construction cardboard
- accessories:
4 steel pins, 1.7 x 10 mm
1 piece of sandpaper, 11.5 x 9 cm, 150 grit - detailed assembly instructions
Features: aligns itself north, measures solar time anywhere on Earth
Dimensions of the built item: approx. 17.5 x 14.5 x 12 cm
Construction time: approx. 6 hours
Producer: AstroMedia GmbH, Im Wirrigen 30, 45731 Waltrop, Germany, astromedia.de
Below you can download the instructions for this kit.
Things you will need for assembly:
- a stable and flat work surface, useful is a cutting mat
- a craft knife or a scalpel
- a sharp pencil for making temporary marks
- a good universal glue
Supervision by adults:
Children under the age of 14 should use the kit under adult supervision to avoid risks due to improper handling.
Take care with small parts:
Risk of swallowing! Keep small parts out of the reach of small children.
Risk of injury:
Take particular care when handling pointed and sharp parts! Use sharp tools with care and take suitable safety measures to avoid injury.
Fire hazard:
Keep away from open sources of fire and heat. Product contains highly flammable materials.
Adhesive use:
When using adhesive, follow the manufacturer's safety instructions. Work in well-ventilated areas and avoid contact with skin or eyes.
Intended use:
The kit should be used in accordance with the enclosed instructions. Independent modifications may impair the functionality and safety of the model built.
