What Causes a ‘Sundial’ to Tell Time?

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.

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Examples

  1. A sundial in the garden shows it's noon because the shadow is pointing directly at the middle mark.
  2. You put your hand up like the gnomon, and as the sun moves, your shadow points to different numbers on a dial.
  3. A kid draws lines on the ground and watches the shadow move from morning to evening.

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