TEACHER
RESOURCE
PLANETARIUM
&
RY
TO
VA
ER
BS
O
E
M
O
RD
A
ST
VITIES ON...
TI
FACTS, RESOURCES AND AC
D
E
D
I
S
O
TW
S
L
A
I
D
SUN
DEFINIT
I
ONS
Gnomo
n – the p
Sundial
a
rt of the
that pro
jects the
shadow
Zenith –
the poin
t in the
directly
sky
above y
our hea
Solstice
d
– most n
southern
o
limit of S rthern and
un’s mo
in the sk
vement
y (June
and Dec
Equinox
ember)
– When
day and
are the
same le
night
n
and mid gth (mid-March
-Septem
ber)
asuring time and the
This resource explores me
during the year.
Sun
the
of
ent
vem
cyclic mo
Equator. The Sun at
Imagine standing at the
rhead in March
ove
ctly
dire
be
midday will
and the
day
the
and September, when
AUCKLAND
equinoxes).
e
(th
gth
len
e
sam
night are the
in
Summer Solstice
th,
Ear
of
n
atio
rot
Because of the tilt and
Spring & Autumn Equinox
23° south
is
Sun
n
noo
the
ber
mid-Decem
Winter Solstice
north (the solstices)
and in mid-June it is 23°
to the
link
the
out
eck
(Ch
Toward
of the zenith.
ulator.)
the South
Seasons and Ecliptic Sim
Celest
ial Pole
turned a normal
Still at the equator, if you
it
(so
lly
tica
ver
(horizontal) sundial 90°
Equator) and
would be parallel with the
EAST
and gnomon, the
added a second faceplate
thern
sou
the
on
dow
sha
a
t
Sun would cas
the northern side
side for half the year and
37°
NORTH
r.
yea
the
of
f
hal
for the other
SOUTH
dial away from
If you then move that sun
you
if
the same way
the equator, it will work
l with the Earth’s
alle
par
te
pla
WEST
e
fac
the
p
kee
tilting it at the
by
d
ieve
ach
is
equator. This
latitude, which is
same angle as your local
d.
klan
Auc
about 37° for
rial sundial, and it is like
This is called an equato
Parts of a sundial: www.mysundial.ca/tsp/sundials_dialling.html
gine that the sundial
Ima
th.
Ear
a model of the
r.
representing the equato
th
Ear
of
e
Sundial basics: www.rnzih.org.nz/pages/sundial2.htm
slic
a
is
ne
pla
axis of Earth’s rotation.
The gnomon acts as the
Another way to make an equatorial sundial:
s
er sundial face represent
In New Zealand the upp
www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/how-to-make-a-sundial
e
fac
l
dia
er
, and the low
the southern hemisphere
Seasons and Ecliptic Simulator:
ere. The Sun will cast
isph
hem
rn
rthe
No
the
is
astro.unl.edu/naap/motion1/animations/seasons_ecliptic.swf
side
er
upp
a shadow on the
in Summer and the lower
side during Winter.
Large equa
toria
IMAGE CR
EDIT:
WIKIPEDIA
l sundial.
Check out these other resources...
SCIENCE
CONTENT/
CURRICULUM LINK
EXTEND THEIR EXPERIENCES AND
PERSONAL EXPLANATIONS OF
THE NATURAL WORLD THROUGH
EXPLORATION, PLAY, ASKING
QUESTIONS, AND DISCUSSING SIMPLE
MODELS. SEEK AND DESCRIBE
SIMPLE PATTERNS IN PHYSICAL
PHENOMENA. SHARING IDEAS
AND OBSERVATIONS
ABOUT THE SUN.
STARDOME.ORG.NZ
09 624 1246
ACTIVITY
PLANETARIUM
STARDOME OBSERVATORY &
D
E
D
I
S
O
W
T
A
E
T
A
E
R
C
!
L
A
I
D
N
SU
e
rd time on the lower fac
This sundial shows standa
the
on
e
tim
daylight saving
(March to September) and
w
sho
l
wil
ck
clo
The
to March).
upper face (September
s.
ute
min
ut 15
local time to within abo
Resources needed:
d
R
easonably stiff light-coloured car
T
ape or glue
T
oothpick (or similar)
Does a stunthdeial
work a le?
South Po
S
cissors
Instructions...
What is the difference
between an equatorial sundial
and a regular sundial?
n formatted to print
• This worksheet has bee
gnomon aligns.
on both sides so that the
te and
es, cut around the templa
• After printing both sid
e is
sid
th
Sou
sides so that the
fold back the base and
to
e
glu
or
e
tap
h
wit
s
the tab
facing upwards. Secure
straight
are
s
fold
the
ure
Ens
e.
the underside of the bas
torted.
and the shape is not dis
ls it would
personalise their sundia
• If your class wants to
into the
g
urin
sec
and
ing
fold
be best to do this before
d for the
use
r
or similar skewe
final shape. The toothpick
to keep
l
dia
sun
the
d through
gnomon should be pierce
.
ate
epl
it perpendicular to the fac
horizontal
l needs to rest on a flat
• The completed sundia
south. To
th/
nor
o needs to face
surface in full Sun. It als
from a
th
nor
etic
agn
e north (m
find the direction of tru
‘cheat’
can
you
,
es)
tim
ous
one
compass will indicate err
t
ligh
sun
your sundial in the
using the sundial. Place
en
we
bet
t
bes
is works
at a convenient hour (th
r
r sunrise/set). Using you
nea
n
tha
her
rat
m
-3p
9am
t
cas
is
dial so the shadow
watch or phone, align the
ing
fac
l
dia
r
s aligns you
on the correct time. Thi
the
n with chalk or a pen on
ctio
dire
this
rk
Ma
north.
the
ce
so you can to pla
surface you will be using,
h time.
eac
t
spo
t
rec
dial in the cor
ount for
sundial are offset to acc
• The hour lines on this
enwich,
Gre
m
fro
°
180
not
is
NZ
New Zealand’s location.
ahead
rs
hou
12
occur exactly
so local midday does not
s
ute
min
20
ut
abo
is
e. There
of Greenwich Mean Tim
e.
Tim
rd
nda
Sta
NZ
into
of ‘daylight saving’ built
DISCUSSION
POINTS
Why is t
h
adjusteed sundial
fo
Auckland
’s locatiro
n?
Make the sundial early in the year (before
March) and repeat the activity observing
the Sun at midday in mid-March, June,
September and at the end of the year.
This will reveal the seasonal motion
of the Sun during the year.
sundial
r
u
o
y
f
o
o
t
Take a phoand send it to us.
activity love to see it!
We’d tardome.org.nz
education@s
STARDOME.ORG.NZ
09 624 1246
5
6
7
PM
3
2
1 12 11
10
9
North
For use in New Zealand at latitudes near 37° South. Most accurate in the Auckland region.
Hour lines have been adjusted to show New Zealand Standard Time.
North
4
Sun’s shadow appears on this face
from mid-March to mid-September.
NORTH
TWO-SIDED SUNDIAL
8
7
6
5
AM
AM
6
7
8
9
11
SOUTH
2
3
Sun’s shadow appears on this face
from mid-September to mid-March.
12 1
4
TWO-SIDED SUNDIAL
10
Hour lines have been adjusted to show New Zealand Daylight Saving Time.
6
7
8
PM
5
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