February 2000 page 49
Colin McVean

Albert and the Equation of Time

Humorous article on the variation between apparent time and mean time through the year
Equation of Time, Historical Dials

July 1997 page 2
Colin McVean

The Zodiac

A story, written as a children's tale, explaining the signs of the zodiac and the constellations. An editorial note explains the recent addition of the constellation Ophiuchus to the ecliptic, which has implications for the sign of Scorpio.

October 1996 page 24
Colin McVean

Exhibits at Grantley Hall

A summary of sundial exhibits presented at Grantley Hall, describing notable pieces and the educational impact of the display on visitors.

October 1996 page 27
Colin McVean

Albert

A short story explaining some of the principles of sundials.

June 1995 page 24
Colin McVean

Anemoscope and Meridian in the Tower of the Winds

A technical and historical discussion on the anemoscope and meridian line within the Vatican's Tower of the Winds, detailing its astronomical and architectural use.
Historical Dials

June 1993 page 28
Colin McVean

Laying Out a Vertical Declining Dial

This article explains the geometric method for laying out a vertical declining sundial, drawing from F.W. Cousin's book Sundials. It details how to determine the style base, style height, equinoctial line, and noon line using a series of right angles and specific angles for latitude and wall declination. The process is illustrated with an example of a vertical dial declining West 30° at Latitude 50°N.
DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Vertical, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout

October 1993 page 39
Colin McVean

Swindon Memorial Sundial and A New Analemmatic Dial at Leicester

This article describes the design of a horizontal dial commissioned in memory of a police constable and placed in Swindon Town Gardens. The author details the process of laying out hour lines and setting up in the absence of sunshine. It also describes the installation of an analemmatic sundial at Leicester, a photograph shows the preliminary layout, with the observer acting as the gnomon, demonstrating the dial's function in determining time.
Dials: Analemmatic, Dials: Horizontal, Sundial Design & Layout

June 1992 page 36
Colin McVean

Long Newnton Church Dial

This account describes the restoration of a West vertical decliner church dial at Long Newnton, Gloucestershire, initiated by Brigadier Neilson. Colin McVean assisted in redrawing the dial, correcting for local apparent time, and creating a card model. Mr. E.J. Clark then professionally crafted the painted oak dial with gilded Roman numerals, which was successfully erected and confirmed to be accurate.
Dials: Vertical, Restoration projects

February 1991 page 11
Colin McVean

One Way of Looking at It, Equatorial and Polar Dials.

Equatorial and Polar Dials explores the principles behind these two types of sundials. The article also covers the Equation of Time and how to account for longitude to tell Greenwich Mean Time with a sundial.
Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Polar, Mathematics of Dialling