Oxford  

 Sundial: 1093
State/Province:  Michigan Country:  USA
Dial Type:  Armillary Sphere Condition:  Excellent
  Latitude and Longitude: 42° 52.216' N  83° 13.728' W
Location: Access: This is a private dial. See below for access details.
  • On a farm off Davison Road, about 2 miles east of Oxford. Dial is usually kept indoors. Email chip.cdcunningham@gmail.com to view dial
 
Description:
  • This is an armillary of unusual construction, mostly of nicely prepared wood. The base has three legs set out at 120°, holding horizon ring approximately 1m (39 inches) in diameter. An adjustable meridian ring for any latitude holds a brass polar axis rod and a cylinder for reading various time scales. The horizon ring has azimuths marked at every 5° and labelled every 15°. Interior to the horizon ring is the earth's celestial equator marked in right ascension in both hours and degrees. The equatorial ring ais connected to an umbrella-like portion of the north celestial pole, showing the position of the Big Dipper and Polaris.

    The rotation of the equatorial ring is done by a unique support from the meridian and horizontal rings that uses a pin and groove system, allowing the equatorial ring to be set for sidereal time. Interior to that is a ring that represents the sun's ecliptic path is pinned to the sideral time of 0h and 12h (spring and fall equinox) allowing the ecliptic to be set 23.5° from the equator. The ecliptic ring in marked with the months and days of the year. Further, the ecliptic ring has a groove for the placement of a sun-spotter with oculus tube.. When the sun token is set to the day, the whole celestial equator is rotated until the narrow tube of the sun token passes sunlight onto the cylinder to tell local solar time.

    The cylinder itself is set for longitude and a mechanical analemma correction can be applied to give UTC, standard or daylight civil time. To aid in reading the time on multiple scale, there is a wire that can be moved to pass through the spot of light acting as an index pointer along the cylinder through the time scales. There is a final inner ring set 5° off the ecliptic and represents the orbit of the moon. It too has a moon token.
 
General Information:
  • Owner: Chip Cunningham
  • Designer: Chip Cunningham
  • Builder: Chip Cunningham
  • Construction Date: Dec 2019 to Mar 23, 2023
 

Last Revised: 2023-07-02 17:46