Sundials - The Sky as a Clock

A talk by Prof Colin Steele on the astronomy of sundials and other ways of telling time by the Sun, hosted by Mexborough & Swinton Astronomical Society.

Prof Colin Steele, who studied mathematics and astronomy at St Andrews and teaches mathematics at the University of Manchester, explores the astronomical principles behind sundials and other solar timekeeping methods. The talk covers how sundials worked as vital timekeeping tools before modern technology, and gives prominence to the observatory at Jaipur in India, home to the world's largest sundial, along with the possibility of a larger local rival. The meeting is hybrid, with ticket holders also able to attend via Zoom.