Analemmatic Sundial Design

Omar Andres Ardila

Energı́as Renovables

12 de septiembre de 2023
Analemmatic Sundial
(A simple definition)

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Analemmatic Sundial
(A simple definition)

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Analemma
(Graph)

Figura: Solar analemma

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Equation of Time
(A Simple Definition)

The Equation Of Time (EOT) is the difference between solar time

and mean solar time. This correction depends on the declination of
the sun and so is date and time depend. Several equation have been
developed for approximating the EOT. One, given by W. Stine1 is:
5     
X 2πkN 2πkN
EOT = Ak cos + Bk sin (1)
365,25 365,25
k=0

in minutes, Where N is the day number (N=1 on Jan.1) and the

coefficients Ak and Bk

1
W. B. Stine and R. W. Harrigan, Power From The Sun, Ch. 3.
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Equation of Time
(Graph)

The Equation Of Time (EOT) is the difference between solar time

and mean solar time. This correction depends on the declination of
the sun and so is date and time depend.

20
Time [min]

10

-10

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400

Number day

Figura: Equation of Time

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Summary of Analemmatic Sundial Design

▶ Determine and lay out north-south and east-west oriented lines,

with their intersection at the center of the site where the sundial
is to be placed.
▶ Select a scale M for the sundial.
▶ Determine and lay out the ellipse of the sundial and time marks
along the ellipse.
▶ Determine and lay out the date marks along the north-south
axis of the ellipse. The loca- tion of a date mark is determined
by first determining the declination of the sun for the date.
▶ Choose the artistic aspects of the sundial.

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Example: A Design for Reikiavik, Iceland

Reikiavik is the capital and largest city of Iceland. ϕ = 64,13◦ ,

L = −21,93◦ , Ls = −19◦ . Assume that M = 1 for the design. The
ellipse with time marks has a major axis of dimension M = 1 and is
aligned with the east- west direction at the location of the sundial.
The minor axis has dimension m = M · sin(ϕ).

(x, y ) = (−M · sin(ϕ) · cos(ω), −M · sin(ω)) (2)

The intercept point on the ellipse can then be marked as the solar
time ω hours.

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Ellipse
(Table)

hours degrees x y
4:00 -120.19 0.45 0.86
5:00 -105.44 0.24 0.96
6:00 -90.44 0.01 0.99
8:00 -75.44 -0.23 0.97
9:00 -60.44 -0.44 0.87
10:00 -45.44 -0.63 0.71
11:00 -15.44 -0.87 0.27
12:00 -0.44 -0.89 0.01
13:00 14.55 -0.87 -0.25
Cuadro: Hourly time marks

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Ellipse With Time Marks
(Graph)
1

0.9

0.8

0.7

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

-1 -0.9 -0.8 -0.7 -0.6 -0.5 -0.4 -0.3 -0.2 -0.1 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
-0.1

-0.2

-0.3

-0.4

-0.5

-0.6

Figura: Ellipse with time marks

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Dates Marks
On an equinoctial day, the shadow of a vertical rod placed at the
origin of the ellipse will then fall on each time mark at the time
indicated by that mark. This will not be so on other days. The
date determines the solar declination, δ, and the location of the dial
determines the latitude ϕ.
 
n − 81
δ = 23,45 · sin 2π (3)
365,25

The expression for the date mark is:

d = −M · tan(δ) · cos(ϕ) (4)

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Dates Marks
(Table) date day number, n date mark, d
January 1 1 +0,332
February 1 32 +0,247
March 1 60 +0,114
April 1 91 −0,055
May 1 121 −0,208
June 1 152 −0,316
June 21 172 −0,339
July 1 182 −0,334
August 1 213 −0,253
September 1 244 +0,057
October 1 274 −0,107
November 1 305 +0,214
December 1 335 +0,339
Cuadro: Dates Marks

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Ellipse With Dates Marks
(Reikiavik,ϕ = 64,13◦ )

11 12 1
10 2
9 3
8 4

Solstice
Jul
Jun 1
Jul
May 1
1
Apr 1
Mar 1
Feb 1
Jan 1

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Ellipse With Dates Marks
(London, ϕ = 51,50◦ )
London
11 12 1
10 2
9 3
8 4
Solstice
Jul
Jun 1
Jul
May 1
1
Apr 1
Mar 1
Feb 1
Jan 1

Omar Andres Ardila Figura: EllipseIndustrial

Universidad with de date marks
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Ellipse With Dates Marks
(Madrid, ϕ = 40,42◦ )
Madrid

11 12 1
10 2
9 3
8 Solstice
Jul
Jun 1 4
Jul 1
May 1
Apr 1
Mar 1
Feb 1
Jan 1

Omar Andres Ardila Figura: EllipseIndustrial

Universidad with de date marks
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Ellipse With Dates Marks
(Ciudad de México, ϕ = 19,42◦ )
Ciudad de México

Jun Solstice
Jul 1
1
9 10 11 12
Jul
May
11
1 2 3
8 4
Apr 1

Mar 1
Feb 1
Jan 1

Omar Andres Ardila Figura: EllipseIndustrial

Universidad with de date marks
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Ellipse With Dates Marks
(Bucaramanga, ϕ = 7,133◦ )
Bucaramanga

Solstice
Jul
Jun 1
1
Jul 1
May 1

8 9 10 11 12
Apr 1
1 2 3 4

Mar 1

Feb 1
Jan 1

Omar Andres Ardila Figura: EllipseIndustrial

Universidad with de date marks
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