A sundial tells time using the sun and a shadow. Imagine it’s like a clock that uses sunlight instead of numbers or hands. The shadow moves as the sun moves across the sky, showing the hours, just like a hand on a clock. A simple sundial has a stick called a gnomon, and when the sun shines on it, the tip casts a shadow that points to the time on the ground. It’s like having a little sun helper in your garden telling you what hour it is.
Examples
- A sundial in the garden shows it's noon because the shadow is pointing directly at the middle mark.
- You put your hand up like the gnomon, and as the sun moves, your shadow points to different numbers on a dial.
- A kid draws lines on the ground and watches the shadow move from morning to evening.
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See also
- How Did the Pyramids Stay Standing for Thousands of Years?
- Why Did the Roman Empire Fall?
- How Does the Ancient Roman Calendar Work?
- How Did Ancient Civilizations Count Without Numbers?
- How Do We Know What People Thought Long Ago?
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Categories: History · Sundials,Timekeeping,Ancient History