Seattle  

Sundial: 746
State/Province:  Washington Country:  USA
Dial Type:  Cylindrical Dial Condition:  Good
  Latitude and Longitude: 47° 41.207' N  122° 17.972' W
Location:
  • University Prep Academy
    8000 25th Avenue NE
    Seattle
 
Description:
  • A unique, 10 foot tall, 2 foot diameter (base) tapered cylinder dial similar to a traditional shepherd's dial except that the cylinder orientation is fixed and the gnomon is rotated about the dial axis by the user to align with the sun. Time is read from the vertical hour and date lines. The dial is fabricated from bronze plate and is hollow. Lines are formed by individually cut hour and date line segments welded on from inside the cylinder. A lever at hand height is moved to rotate the gnomon to face the sun, providing a vertical shadow. A slit in the gnomon tip provides a more accurate sun spot on the dial face. The cylinder is tapered top to bottom for aesthetics and to minimize the effect of solar altitude variation through the seasons.

    Ray Monnat, father of two students at the school was the dial project leader, organizing and funding the project. Woody Sullivan, Professor of Astronomy at University of Washington was the designer, assisted by Art Teacher Peggy Dow; Larry Stark designed the turning mechanism.

    A plaque on the dial base shows the EOT and provides information on the dial. A depiction of the school mascot, a puma, is engraved on the rear of the dial, shown leaping through the orbit of Halley's Comet.
 
General Information:Inscription:
  • Owner: University Prep Academy
  • Who's Turning?
  • Designer: Woody Sullivan and Ron Monnat
  • Builder: Charles Wiemeyer
  • Construction Date: 2002
 

Last Revised: 6/25/2012 18:20