| ILLUSTRATING MORE SHADOWS focusing on education and interesting practical aspects of sundial design and construction North American Sundial Society British Sundial Society Sundial Primer Stained Glass Sundials Wiki on Sundials Joël Robic's site www.gnomonica.com sundials.gnomonica.com The best sundial link site The standard BSS glossary Pocket Sundials |
| sundial sun dial sundials sun dials design book books articles spreadsheets Gnomics Gnomonics Horology Dialling Dialing Clocks EOT Equation of time Middleton Sciathics Lunar Moon construction hobby gnomon cutout popup building astro compass astrocompass shepherd ogee azimuth altitude hour angle Jaipur VRML wrl ecliptic ISB virtual worlds kids teaching learning nocturnal star inclining reclining declining latitude longitude recliner decliner CAD lighting TurboCAD ISA Parallel Graphics planispheric astrolabe polarized light garden construct auction what not buy homebuilt interesting DeltaCAD TurboCAD JustBASIC BASIC programming programs pascal Visual Basic JAVA C++ illustratingshadows |
| FREE CASE STUDIES ~ The CD with the book has these and some A 500 lb cube declining dial, 11 pages about 600k, all details start to finish. A large analemmatic garden dial. An inclining decliner. A vertical decliner neighborhood project using empirical methods, shows Italian hour lines, 5 pages, under 200k. A circular paver equatorial, a clay pipe liner armillary. The open book dial or dual gnomonless dial back to back. An almost 45 degree declining four faced cube dial. The details are complete, however extensive notes are in the second book Illustrating More Shadows. |
| 2005 ~ ~ ~ Oct astro EOT, EOT 1904, 2104, 2004-2007, Formulae collections, TCW files, Gnomonless dial Nov Lunar dials, Ecliptic dials, Dec more vrml, nocturnal star dial, 2006 ~ ~ ~ Jan vrml animations, lighting in CAD, Feb planispheric astrolabe, Mar polarizing dial Apr Dipleidoscope May 3d stereograms Jun What people are interested in Jly Sundials not to buy Aug Case studies. Spreadsheet has calendar lines, Booklet on calendar lines. Sep Spreadsheet has analemma, DeltaCAD h, v and m-dial programs, programming methods for trig to code. Sundial Day proclamation. Oct clay dial plates. DeltaCAD macros with animation, shepherd & azimuth dials. Nov DeltaCAD for dual gnomon shepherd and tables. Dec Illustrating More Shadows. DeltaCAD astrolabe improved, and formulae notes. 2007 ~ ~ ~ Jan DeltaCAD stuff. Feb BASIC programs. Mar Pascal h-dial and v-dec, C, Fortran, and VB h-dials. VB and JAVA graphics. JAVA, Visual Basic, C, Pascal, Fortran, etc notes. Apr main spreadsheet and eot sheet cross hyperlinked. Astro compass , wall declination supplements rewritten, new spreadsheet makes work v easy. Solstice/Equinox etc curves for any SH in DeltaCAD. May DeltaCAD pole facing v-dec (case study) & VRML model (needs Cortona plugin). Great-decliner DeltaCAD. N and S hemispheres for V, V-dec, and H dials. Jun improved DeltaCAD calendar. V-dec Delta/Turbo CAD updated Source for all three VB systems. More DeltaCAD Aug COBOL h-dial program. DeltaCAD h & v dial improvements. Sep/Oct improvements in computer programs. Nov DeltaCAD bifilar dial Dec update main spreadsheet, also E/W declining arrow dials on case study page. 2008 ~ ~ ~ Jan DeltaCAD, TurboCAD, FAQ. LISP program for ProgeCAD, a free AutoCAD like system. SCILAB and PYTHON and Euler graphic & animated dials. Excel for PDAs, many dials, EOT, calendar curves, analemma 8, inclined decliner, astrolabe, has graphs on the PDA (eg EOT, analemma, and dial plates). Main spreadsheet updated. Feb C for the Palm Pilot (PDA) using PocketC text and graphics for v and h-dials; standalone apps (xxxxx.prc) or ones you save as a PDA memo and compile/run with PocketC. An almanac program with sunrise/set, declination, EOT, and hourly altitude/azimuth for any date. V-dec added. Scilab, DeltaCAD, JustBASIC as well as Euler almanac similar to PDA. Micro and Simple Shadows updated. Octave h-dial, v-dial, and v-dec dials graphics/text. Notes on the old housewife's trick, FAQ updated on sunrise/set times. March notes on DeltaCAD programming internals, methods, and techniques; a short yet useful extract from Illustrating More Shadows. A new page of programming, CAD, and other systems. April Minor improvements. May FAQ re noon lines. Main spreadsheet. June PDA notes, EOT, and declination for 4 days on either side of a day in a month. Azimuth DeltaCAD correction for some reference longitudes, dial plate options, and 7 month curves as opposed to the original three. Vertical north facing dial, h-dial and other improvements in programs. July DeltaCAD improvements, many programs consolidated where possible. Web pages simplified. August added 24 hour h-dial in DeltaCAD, Roman/Arabic in some, there are now (1) the original macros, (2) the current ones, and (3) the current ones using a txt file for parameters [read notes on how to run the macro: DeltaCAD/MACRO/E/FILE/OPN only, don't double click in a folder, and don't use the file history in DeltaCAD/MACRO/E/FILE] September ~ Cappucin DeltaCAD. October note added in spreadsheets re hyperlinks when run online. TurboCAD minor additions. Calculating the Time of an old photo. November EOT tables and the main and EOT xls updated; minor DeltaCAD h-dial additions. More work on COBOL and notes on using KOBOL(r) and on the generalized atan algorithm. Derivation of v-dec (vertical decliner) hour line angles, also new PDA v-dec XLS and updated main spreadsheet. UPDATES: Reference Page ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Illustrating More Shadows (Book 2) updated Feb 3, 2008 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Illustrating Shadows (Book 1) updated March 16, 2006 |
| FREE BOOKLETS ~ Extracted from the main books ~ The CD with the book has all these, and some MICRO SHADOWS how to build a horizontal dial, no theory, 15 pages SIMPLE SHADOWS how to build a horizontal dial, and why it works, EOT also, 45 pages CUBIC SHADOWS multi face dials, 60 pages CUTTING SHADOWS paper cutout and POPUP paper dials DECLINING SHADOWS Calendar line drafting, altitude and azimuth methods, graphical and spreadsheet, also with tables PROGRAMMING BASIC Converting trig to code, constraining lines to boundaries, human input, and so on |
| and BOOKLETS |
| SPREADSHEETS the main spreadsheet Oct 8 and major EOT spreadsheet and for Documents To Go versions 7.006 ~ 10.0020 and with graphics too! |
| Case Studies of many of the dials pictured below |
| This is in both the SUNDIAL and the VRML web ring. Click where it says HERE to get to the vrml web ring - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > > |
| Illustrating Shadows (Book 1) ISBN 0-9765286-8-1 Lib Cong 2005900674 316 pages of hands on, empirical, geometric, trigonometric, CAD, and spreadsheet dial design with 100 pages of charts, tables, formulae, and lists of useful information. Building small sundials using wood, PVC, and other small construction media. 3rd edition and last printing >> Table of contents and index << This book is back in print, but primarily available on the CD which has both books in full color. This book is excellent, and provides details on so many methods of dial design, tables, and so on. |
PICTURES
Page 1 ~ of the author's sundials polar, horizontal, stained glass, meridian, capuchin, shepherds, vertical, durer, globe, cube, decliners, inclined decliners, armillary, equatorial,
etc. (concrete, glass, copper) - outside or long lasting. Typical of book 2 dials.
Page 2 (PVC, wood) - fine detail yet less weather proof. Typical of book 1 dials.
Page 3 artistic photos of the dials in book 2. Some are rather interesting or amusing.
Page 4 Some of the author's stained glass non sundial work.
And some 3d JPG pics also just for fun.
Page 1 ~ of the author's sundials polar, horizontal, stained glass, meridian, capuchin, shepherds, vertical, durer, globe, cube, decliners, inclined decliners, armillary, equatorial,
etc. (concrete, glass, copper) - outside or long lasting. Typical of book 2 dials.
Page 2 (PVC, wood) - fine detail yet less weather proof. Typical of book 1 dials.
Page 3 artistic photos of the dials in book 2. Some are rather interesting or amusing.
Page 4 Some of the author's stained glass non sundial work.
And some 3d JPG pics also just for fun.
| This website and its free books, booklets, programs, case studies, take a lot of effort to design, build, and maintain. If you like what you see, please buy the books or the CD. For example, the DeltaCAD macro for the astrolabe was a first in astrolabe programming in that you get the source code and explanatory notes, and it took hundreds of hours from start to finish, and it is free to you. The books and CD provide the incentive for further development. And help when I teach classes on sundials at the local university |
| ABBREVIATIONS used: h-dial (horizontal), v-dial (vertical), m-dial (meridian dial), p-dial (polar dial), q-dial (equatorial dial), z (azimuth), s-dial (shepherd dial), a-dial (astrolabe), n-dial (nocturnal dial). Also d (declination curves), and, inc: incliners and dec: decliners, and -a if animated (which some DeltaCAD, Euler, and Scilab programs do). SUNDIAL PARTS: are here with explanations (for the common horizontal sun dial (nodus, style sub-style, gnomon, dial plate, etc). |
| Illustrating More Shadows (Book 2) ISBN 0-9765286-9-X Lib Cong 2006930654 >>> Table of contents and index and some sample pages <<< 334 pages on glass, concrete, and clay dials, more on 3d CAD (TurboCAD), DeltaCAD programming, recliners, decliners, and inclined decliners (lots of stuff here), each with their own chapters, and calendar curves, etc. The ideal book to follow Illustrating Shadows, especially if you want to build garden dials to last. The book is available via PayPal, and the CD has all the usual stuff, plus Illustrating Shadows (Book 1) and Illustrating More Shadows (Book 2). This book rapidly reviews Illustrating Shadows and then covers much more additional and new material. Astrolabe design geometically and trigonometrically are covered, and programming techniques for many languages and systems. Discount for NASS, BSS members |
| ILLUSTRATING MORE SHADOWS ~ ~ a journey of discovery ~ ~ sundials ~ ~ and how to make them ~ ~ ~ as well as how to use, or make, the things that can design them ~ |
| November 22, 2008 |
| BOOK 1 ~ Illustrating Shadows same cost as book 2 BOOK 2 ~ Illustrating More Shadows PRINTED $25 + s&h or $20 NASS/BSS + s&h BOTH books on CD $15 USA, or $25.00 Canada, Mexico, etc |
| The printed books come with a CD of CAD, pdf, xls, vrml, CAD templates, animations, and so on. It also has the book/books in full color in pdf. |
| Everything else is free (if you like this site's items, buy the CD!) |
| for details click here |
| PYTHON java alternative |
| both books on a CD USA:$15, elsewhere $25 PAYPAL |
| Jaipur observatory in 3d vrml, you can walk around it, needs the Cortona Plugin |
| ~ ~ ~ ~ Changes and Updates to books, booklets, software, and the web site ~ ~ ~ ~ |
| Link to free Acrobat pdf reader |
| Python try any dial online (select from the zip file) |
| Online dial design ~~~> (or try one of the many many software systems in many computer languages) |
| Euler h-dial online |
| SciLab h-dial online |
| NASS JAVA dials ~ excellent works of art |
| PalmPilot ~ Excel DocsToGo |
| WHAT YOU MAY PURCHASE TO HELP YOU (and the web site!) |
| see PDA page |
| see lunar dials |
| The figure of eight analemma depicts the EOT and the software on this site shows how to deduce it. Even Excel has a graphical depiction of this. |
| ~ ~ ~ ~ FREE SUNDIAL PROGRAMS and FREE SOFTWARE ~ ~ ~ ~ in many systems and many computer languages ~ ~ ~ ~ |
| Do you already have Illustrating Shadows ~ ~ ~ ~ If so, email me using the email you used when you acquired the book, and you can get the latest copy plus Illustrating More Shadows online at no charge, It is a bonus for having acquired Illustrating Shadows. |
| see paper popups |
| see stained glass |
| see cubic dials |
| see stained glass |
a vertical declining dial
| PYTHON java alternative |
| PalmPilot PocketC and .prc |
| C/C++ (PC) |
| PalmPilot ~ Excel DocsToGo |
| MISC ITEMS |
| Case Studies of many of the dials pictured below |
| C/C++ (PC) |
| Each page shows how to get a free or low cost compiler etc |
| EXCEL - spreadsheet of horizontal vertical and declining dials, EOT (astronomical), astrolabe, meridian, polar, analemmatic dial, almanac, analemmatic 8, sunrise/set, graphical dial depiction, deducing a dial plate's latitude, deducing wall declination, lunar phases, inclined decliner dials, middleton scales, and so on. Main sheet and EOT sheet cross hyperlinked. Wall declination sheet simplified dramatically, and the front page made easier to use and more flexible. Additionally, versions exist for the Palm Docs To Go system. DeltaCAD - DeltaCAD macros for planispheric astrolabe, shepherds dial, tables, and h, v, m, p, q, and declining incliners. Some have shadow or calendar animation. Notes included for using the h-dial with calendar lines on a v-dial and how to do it. Also, pure calendar curve macro for solstices/equinoxes, 7 curves, changeable default declinations. Pole facing and E/W great decliner also. N & S hemisphere for V, V-dec & H dials. Also has the bi-filar dial macro (with animation). DeltaCAD users group [NASS DeltaCAD page is here] TurboCAD - TurboCAD VBS programs for h-dial and v-dec dial and notes, also TCWs here. Systems that do not need a million folders and executable support stuff. FORTRAN - My page links to the free compiler, and my notes as well as the source and executable for an h-dial. COBOL stuff here, works but clumsy. JustBASIC - free BASIC compiler, use these for m, p, h, v dials, m-inc and calendar curve data also, if you don't have Excel or DeltaCAD. PASCAL - program for h-dials, v-dials (declining also), and notes etc, uses the free PASCAL compiler IDEs. C/C++ - program added for h-dial. Conversation console input/output, not object oriented. Notes compare with Visual C++. Also C for the PDA LISP - for ProgeCAD (AutoCAD) Scilab, Euler, Octave, and Python code also. VISUAL BASIC and JAVA need a million folders and executable support stuff. Visual Basic - shows the detail code for an h-dial producing both tabular and praphical data. JAVA - in this case a tabular output for h-dials and the notes from beginning to end on building the code, as well as the code and associated folders also. Also, a graphical horizontal dial program. The notes are excellent on showing what the books don't say. Assumes NetBeans 5.5 (also see Python above) [NASS JAVA page is here] OTHER SYSTEMS for programming are covered. For example PocketC for the Palm Pilot. Even COBOL! And for the Palm Pilot there are specially designed Excel sheets using Documents To Go, and they are excellent on a PC also. The above are programs which use code I have written. There are other excellent standalone programs such as SHADOWS, SUNDI, ZW2000, etc. The spreadsheets here as well as the programs, especially DeltaCAD macros, support almost every dial type you can think of, including the Astrolabe, h and v dials, meridian, armillary, polar, equatorial, and decliners, inclined decliners, and so on. Animation is provided in the DeltaCAD macros. The code in the DeltaCAD macros and Excel sheets show the use of formulae for graphical depiction of calendar (declination) curves, analemmas, and especially the planispheric astrolabe. The legacy languages also show where to get free compilers. |
| SPREADSHEETS the main spreadsheet and major EOT spreadsheet and for Documents To Go versions 7.006 ~ 10.0020 and with graphics too! |
| for these systems, click one of the green hyperlinks to the right |
| FREE SUPPLEMENTS OR PAMPHLETS ~ The CD with the book has all these, and many more WHAT NOT TO BUY On EBAY and other online auction sites. Also see this page here for more guidance online VERTICAL DECLINER Derivation of vertical decliner hour line angles, also implemented in on of the PDA XLS for Docs To Go. Nov 22, 2008 PROGRAMMING DELTA CAD Notes on coding trig, human interface, and constraining lines to boundaries EOT Equation of time and astronomical EOT formula & spreadsheet and a good analemma/EOT link TRUE NORTH/SOUTH North/south by the astro compass - two techniques, and supported by the main spreadsheet WALL ALIGNMENT Wall declination determination & spreadsheet for true north south, major simplification MIDDLETON SCALES Middleton Scales simplified & Ruler A LUNAR DIAL A lunar dial with a difference - simplified AN ECLIPTIC DIAL A discussion on the ecliptic and a dial in true Illustrating Shadows fashion A NOCTURNAL DIAL Design one for any desired stars and a dial in Illustrating Shadows fashion - and a STAR MAP THE ASTROLABE How to build with simple geometry the planispheric astrolabe, everything you need to know And notes on the trigonometric formulae derivation. Also see DeltaCAD macros, and the general spreadsheet. FORMULAE COLLECTION A collection of formulae relating to gnomonics RECLINING DIALS Some notes on east and west recliners DECLINING RECLINERS Some notes on declining and reclining dials and the use of CAD CAD LIGHTING TECHNIQUES How to see the sun's shadows, eg on a sundial, for any month and time and a CAD dial plus mesh for a project is downloadable - the focus on this site is TurboCAD a 2d 3d system for about $100 PAPER CUTOUT DIALS Some interesting free paper cutout dials A POPUP PAPER SUNDIAL A paper sundial that lies flat, when opened it is a horizontal and vertical dial, see picture to the left. TIME OF A PHOTO? Given a location and date, what is the time a photo was taken? And ~ Fixing store bought dials and buyer's guide link ~ North/south hemisphere differences ~ Spreadsheet for many techniques ~ 3d CAD design, and Durer ~ Declination Lines ~ VRML, CAD, spreadsheet methods ~ CAD files as a starter (TCW DXF JPG etc) ~ Stained glass in a dial ~ Important dates for diallist and usable hours, bibliography, software, and page references to Rohr, Waugh, and Mayal, A simple polarizing dial ~ ~ etc ~ ~ This page lists them all. Also, based on questions asked, what is the old housewife's trick, how does it work, when can it be used. |
| CREDIT CARD but no PayPal account?? click PayPal here and you can enter a credit card which I WILL NEVER SEE. But I do get the funds. |
| PalmPilot PocketC and .prc |
Get both books on a CD, high resolution, color, and include all extra related files. Your local print shop can print and spiral bind. |
| Book 2 is available in print as well as on the CD (which also has book 1 for free) |
| DeltaCAD Cappucin plate |
| Book 1 is included free on the CD, you print it locally. Here are the instructions for printing. Also back in print. |
| What kind of Sundial to build ~ ~ ~ ~ Before you build a sundial, decide what kind is best. Latitudes between the equator and about 15 degrees N or S would benefit from an equatorial (q) or polar (p) dial more than from a horizontal (h) dial design. On the equator a horizontal (h-dial) is a polar dial so use a p-dial design. At the poles, an h-dial is an equatorial dial, so use a q-dial design ~ run the DeltaCAD h-dial for latitude 85 for fun, it approaches the q-dial. |
| Hour angle dials can be designed using geometry (see picture to the left), which in turn is convertible to trigonometry (see the spreadsheets (Excel) and all the programming languages for which this website has sundial programs) including CAD: DeltaCAD, TurboCAD, and ProgeCAD, and JAVA and Visual Basic and even the old legacy languages. Scientific code exists for Octave, Scliab, and Euler, as well. Illustrating Shadows covers all thi |