Aryana Libris

Author : Savoie Denis
Title : Sundials Design, construction, and use
Year : 2003

Link download : Savoie_Denis_-_Sundials.zip

Preface. They will merely scorn sundials: no longer used, of course. But they are, notwithstanding their obvious social role over many centuries, an excellent exercise for the student who takes no pleasure in verbiage. So, for heaven’s sake, start by learning the theory of sundials! Then you can go on to discuss the history of astronomical thought to your heart’s content! Begin at the beginning: by far the most difficult course. H. Bouasse, Astronomie The´orique et Pratique, Paris, 1928. This book is an introduction to the construction of sundials, and to the calculations involved in that construction. It is aimed at all devotees of astronomy who wish to knowmore about sundials. It is also written for teachers of physics and technology, and for students in teacher training. Those teaching in primary schools will also find material for simple and amusing applications to do with light and shadow. Many new educational programmes for schoolchildren may, in fact, contain projects on sundials or on the measurement of time. Although there are many books on the subject of sundials, they are unfortunately of mixed quality, and often too elementary or too complicated. Some will be difficult to find, and some are by authors who have not mastered the subject. Sundials are of course an excellent introduction to astronomy, but first of all it is necessary to delve into cosmography (the study of the visible universe that includes geography and astronomy) in order to understand the way they work. This is the burden of the first chapter, and it may seem hard going compared with the rest of the book, which is more practical; but useful concepts will have been established. Too often, this first stage is neglected in works on sundials, meaning that students cannot absorb all the notions involved. ...