Greenfield  

 Sundial: 475
State/Province:  Massachusetts Country:  USA
Dial Type:  Hours to Sunset Condition:  Excellent
  Latitude and Longitude: 42° 35.727' N  72° 35.558' W
Location:
  • Baystate Franklin Medical Center
    Esleeck Memorial Garden
    164 High Street
    Greenfield
 
Description:
  • A 5 foot diameter pink Canadian granite horizontal hours-until-sunset dial. The 8 inch thick granite slab weighs 2000 pounds and rests on a short recessed pedestal, appearing to float above the grass dome of a memorial garden. Lines for hour periods 2-12 are marked with Arabic numerals. The gnomon is a 3/8 inch brass rod protruding 4 inches above the dial face.

    The dial face is engraved, "HOURS UNTIL SUNSET" and, "READ TIP OF SHADOW."

    This sundial does not function in the usual manner that tells time of day. Rather, this dial tells the number of hours from the present time of day to the time of sunset. These are equal-period hours counted down until sunset. Since it shows a time period, rather than time-of-day, the dial accuracy is not affected by season of year, daylight saving time or longitude location within the local time zone. Further, this particular design uses a horizontal dial face, while most hours-until-sunset dials use a vertical face.

    This dial is dedicated as a memorial to Dr. Pallav Parakh, a much-loved surgeon who was killed in a tragic auto accident while walking in a crosswalk.
 
General Information:Inscription:
  • Owner: Baystate Franklin Medical Center
  • PALLAV PARAKH, MD, MHS
    MAC OGLESBY, DIALIST
    BILL JACQUES, ARTISAN
  • Designer: Mac Oglesby
  • Builder: Bill Jacques
  • Construction Date: 13-Nov
 

Last Revised: 7/22/2014 9:15