[time-nuts] more solar clock stuff

[Tom Harris]

Tim Hunkin has made a similar clock, see
http://www.timhunkin.com/27_domestic_clocks.htm

The elephant clock down the bottom of the page indicates the moon's phase
in a very innovative way. Mind you the night & day sectors are equal, so
they are for the equator, not for the maker's lattitude of 50 deg :)


Tom Harris <celephicus at gmail.com>


On 21 January 2014 05:49, Jim Lux <jimlux at earthlink.net> wrote:

> So here's my next idea..
>
>
> Set up a 24 hour movement (no minute hand) so that you have the sun moving
> around the dial: at the top at solar noon, with the rate being reasonably
> constant around the dial(e.g. using the solar clock algorithms developed)
>
> Then, have two other pointers or sectored disks on the face to indicate
> sunrise and sunset time.  I haven't figured out the mechanical aspects, but
> maybe a small motor driving the edge of a clear plastic disk.  (or if there
> were a good cheapish source for multi axis pointer systems).
>
> One could also add a moon pointer (and all the rest of the planets too).
>  Sort of a geocentric Orrery.  The planets would need to be able run in
> both directions to accommodate retrograde apparent motion.
>
> It would be easy with laser pointers or light beams and stepper motors
> driving a tilted mirror to project moving dots on the wall, but a more
> mechanical display would look nicer, I think.
>
> Once the mechanical aspect is figured out, the software should be fairly
> straightforward to drive whatever motors there are.
>
> (After noticing Saturn this morning when I went to go get the paper before
> dawn)
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