- NMS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS -

Highly accurate, Universal Analemmic Equatorial Sundials

• Universal means that the sundial design will work at any location on Earth. (The base is customized for each specific location.)
• The sundial uses an Analemmic gnomon or ‘figure-8’ cutout (shaped like an analemma) to cast a shadow that indicates the accurate date and clock time.
• It is an Equatorial dial because the sundial arms and timeline align parallel to the Earth’s equator.

• The analemma is a figure-8 shape that describes the apparent motion of the sun about the Earth, and the difference between clock time and solar time, throughout the year.
• See Wikipedia – Analemma.

• Clocks, watches and cell phones tell average or ‘mean’ time, while the sun and most sundials indicate local solar time. The time difference can be from 16 minutes 33 seconds fast to 14 minutes 6 seconds slow throughout the year.

• Most sundials use a straight rod or a straight-edge gnomon (the shadow-casting part of the sundial) to indicate local solar time, not clock time.
• Common park and garden sundials are often not oriented correctly.

• The New Millennium sundial is computer-designed, laser-cut and etched, and carefully fabricated.
• Its analemmic gnomon is precisely shaped to indicate clock time every day of the year.
• The gnomon dates are precision-marked for use in America, Europe, Asia and Australia installations.
• The base is custom-fabricated for accurate installation and alignment for each specific location.

• On a bright clear sunny day, the New Millennium sundial can indicate time to within a few seconds, and the date to within a portion of the day.

• The sundial design will work at any location on Earth, but it does require a custom base for each specific location. For use in the southern hemisphere, the base, and printing on the sundial, are inverted. For locations in Europe, date marks are advanced around the analemmic gnomon (from US longitudes) by ¼ day. For locations in Asia and Australia, date marks are advanced around the analemmic gnomon by ½ day.

• The instructions etched on the face of the analemmic gnomon say:

        “Tilt this plate to directly face the sun, casting the widest possible shadow. Read the exact time where the figure-8’s shadow touches the timeline on the dial ‘arms’ below.”

  The timeline on the sundial is precisely etched in minutes. If you wait until the analemma shadow exactly crosses a minute mark and right then check your accurate watch or cell phone, the indicated time will usually be within a few seconds!

• (Video link soon.)

• The instructions etched on the face of the analemmic gnomon say:

        “Run your finger above the edge of this figure-8 cutout. When your finger’s shadow touches the timeline below, then the edge of your finger is directly over today’s date.”

  Each month, day of the year, and solstices and equinoxes are precisely etched around the analemma. Near the equinoxes, the indicated date can be read to within ¼ day. In the morning, the date will indicate ¼ day through, at noon ½ way through the day, and in the evening, ¾ day through!

• (Video link soon.)

• The sundial easily changes from Standard Time to Daylight Saving Time, or back, by lifting the body slightly rearward, rotating it to the new time position, and lowering it back down. Interlocking teeth precisely lock the sundial in either position.


• (Video link soon.)

• The sundial sculpture is 6’ wide by approximately 5’ tall by 4’ deep (front-to-back).

• 316L Stainless steel sundial body, for enduring beauty and corrosion resistance.
• A 316L stainless steel base cover can be provided, or
• After installation, the sundial base can be covered with brick, stone or tile to match local landscaping and architecture.

• The New Millennium Sundial sculpture is an ideal addition to college and university campuses, STEM centers, museums, observatories, planetariums and public parks.
• Made from 10-gauge and ¼” stainless steel, the sundial is robust, durable and vandal-resistant. Children can climb on it. The stainless steel random-pattern disc-sanded finish is easy to clean, hides deep scratches and, if necessary, is easily field-repairable.

• Recommended installation drawings are provided. The sundial typically mounts to four anchor bolts set in a concrete pad. Once the sundial is installed and aligned, the sundial’s base and the anchor bolts are enclosed with either a stainless steel base cover that can be provided, or with a custom cover designed to meld the sundial with local landscaping and architecture.
• A commemorative plaque can be easily affixed to either the stainless steel or the architectural base cover.

• Exact alignment instructions are provided.
• As an option, I can travel to the customer location for assistance with installation and alignment.

6'w x 5'h x 4'd New Millennium Sundial Sculpture         Stainless Steel Base Cover Site Prep Opt. Installation and alignment assistance (2 days typ.)

$18,500. $2,000. typically $500 - $2,000. $800/day plus expenses.

• Contact New Millennium Sundials and I will be happy to provide a formal proposal!

• With the futuristic sundial body style and an analemmic gnomon designed for maximum accuracy in 2050AD, I decided to call these "New Millennium" Sundials.

• Artist’s Statement