[time-nuts] Harvard, Time and the Dipleidoscope

[Brooke Clarke]

Hi Larry:

Where did you see the Dipleidoscope?
http://www.prc68.com/I/Dent.shtml

Have Fun,

Brooke Clarke
http://www.PRC68.com
http://www.end2partygovernment.com/2012Issues.html

Larry McDavid wrote:
> Dr. Sara Schechner, curator, just posted this on the sundial reflector:
>
> ............
> The Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments (CHSI) at Harvard University would like to invite you to an 
> informal gathering during this year's HSS Annual Meeting, held in Boston. We will open our museum doors on Friday, 22 
> November 2013 from 7:30pm to 9:30pm. Wine and cheese will accompany the visit of our two current exhibits: Time, Life 
> & Matter: Science in Cambridge AND Time & Time Again: How Science & Culture Shape the Past, Present, & Future. For 
> more information, go to our website: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~hsdept/chsi-exhibitions.html
>
> We are located on the Oxford Street side of the Science Center at Harvard University:
>
> Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments
> Science Center 136 and 251
> 1 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA.
> (map: http://hmsc.harvard.edu/files/museums/files/hmsc_map.pdf)
>
> Please join us for this special occasion. We are eager to see old friends and make new ones!
>
> Please RSVP to either Dr. Sara Schechner (schechn at fas.harvard.edu) or myself, your two hosts.
> ............
>
>
> The Harvard Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments is simply outstanding and there are two large exhibits 
> running at present. I presented a paper on the Dent Dipleidoscope at the August annual meeting of the North American 
> Sundial Society, held in Cambridge this year at Harvard. We toured the Harvard exhibits and enjoyed a lengthy 
> behind-the-scene tour of their extensive collection storage area in the basement. This is surely the largest room of 
> rolling shelves filled with scientific antiques I've ever seen!
>
> I serve as Registrar for NASS, maintaining an 8.6 GB database of sundials throughout North America. Sundials, of 
> course, were our first time-telling instruments! By 1850, the Industrial Revolution and the extensive train system in 
> England led to demand for more accurate time than sundials and mechanical clocks of the day could provide. For 
> example, train schedules used London Time (as opposed to local solar time) and showed train arrivals/departures to the 
> nearest minute.
>
> The Dent Dipleidoscope was the first instrument available to the layman that allowed identifying correct time within 
> just a few seconds. It was easy to use and relatively inexpensive. My presentation was titled, "The Dent 
> Dipleidoscope: A Sundial By Another Name."
>
> So, as Time Nuts, we can appreciate that time accuracy has come a long way in just 150 years!
>
> If you should happen to be in Cambridge for this event, do visit "The Coop" bookstore near the Harvard campus. It is 
> an amazing, 5-story high place!
>
> Larry McDavid W6FUB
>
>
>
> On 11/12/2013 9:32 AM, Brooke Clarke wrote:
>> Hi:
>>
>> Two exhibits based on time:
>> March 6 - December 6, 2013
>>
>> Time, Life & Matter: Science in Cambridge
>>
>> and
>>
>> Time & Time Again: How Science & Culture Shape the Past, Present, & Future
>> http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~hsdept/chsi-exhibitions.html
>>
>