The Other Idea

Woody had this other idea that he’d been toying with for years, Iguess. The EarthDial Project, web cams around the world keeping watch ofsundial shadows. It was the perfect match for the MarsDials. We canreckon time on Two Worlds with shadows cast by One Sun.

I like math; I love it, really. I am interested in the trigonometry ofgnomonics, sundial design. But, Woody is expert—encyclopedic. Wewere filled with ideas about how to set up the calculator for the website, and so on. One night in Woody’s dining room, with his familybeing very supportive, we designed the size and shape of what has becomethe standard EarthDial. It’s ten times the size of the ones onMars, 80 centimeters instead of 80 millimeters. We came up with designon his dining room table using paper and scissors.

Woody knows the math, and would take control of it for the web site. Butthe responsibility for building an actual EarthDial out of realmaterials clearly fell to me. I am a licensed mechanical engineer andformer bicycle mechanic, for cryin’ out loud. I set out to make itout of things that people around the world would be able to find anduse.

Here’s a picture from my dad’s book. The caption says,“And should the reader ever find himself looking for sundials inthe snow, the author would like to meet him.” What he meant was,“If you’re as crazy about sundials as I am, we should hangout together.” That was my dad, and I guess it became part of me.The last picture is of me checking on my camera mount and making sureit’s all working. I’m not only working on the EarthDial inthe snow. I’m working at night, when sundials aren’t souseful! It’s a great project. Thank you all for participating.

Sundials work under a bright Moon, but you have to look closely. It'sabout 0225 hrs. Local Lunar Time on ED-1.		And should the reader ever find himself looking for sundials in thesnow, the author would like to meet him.		Hey, Bill. It's snowing... and it's dark. Bill?

Copyright Bill Nye