A sundial is a device that measures time by the position of the Sun. In common designs such as the horizontal sundial, the sun casts a shadow from its style (a thin rod or a sharp, straight edge) onto a flat surface marked with lines indicating the hours of the day. As the sun moves across the sky, the shadow-edge progressively aligns with different hour-lines on the plate. Such designs rely on the style being aligned with the axis of the Earth's rotation. Hence, if such a sundial is to tell the correct time, the style must point towards true North (not the north or south magnetic pole) and the style's angle with horizontal must equal the sundial's geographical latitude. However, many sundials do not fit this description, and operate on different principles.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundial
This sundial was given to me by my neighbor after her mother died. It stood in the Campbell's garden when I was a child and I always admired it. I have enjoyed it here in my garden for about 20 years.
May Thy Days Be Filled With Sunshine And Thy Nights With Peace
I love the saying on my sundial it sounds like a Gaelic Blessing
http://www.sundials.org/
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