HOME |
RSS | 
Japanese designer Kota Nezu made a parasol that is a functional sundial. There’s a compass built into the handle to that you can point it in the right direction and get a reading on the time.
Damia Soler created a website that makes sundials. Type in your location, and it’ll give you a printable paper sundial customized to function there, provided that you point it in the right direction. And the site will tell you orient you in that direction.
Link via Make | Photo: Hacked Gadgets
Mounted on a 9″ marble base is a small brass cannon, and above that a magnifying glass. The positioning and focal length of the lens would be designed to light the cannon’s fuse. The placement of the sundial suggests that the device was used to mark the arrival of the noon hour (on sunny days).
This intricate device was custom-made for someone living at a latitude of 59 degrees, 55 minutes, 20 seconds. My guess would be that the recipient lived somewhere in St. Petersburg, but other locations are possible.
Link.
Addendum: Some additional searching has revealed that devices such as these were known as “sundial cannons” or “noon cannons.” The best description/photos I’ve found is at this pdf by the British Sundial Society.
