Bifilar Sundial

The bifilar sundial was designed and manufactured by me to commemorate one hundred years since the invention of the type by Hugo Michnik in 1922. The dimensions of the dial are 700mm high by 600mm wide. The dial is made of a material trademarked as Krion. It is an acrylic based material which emulates the surface of slate but when engraved can hold much finer detail without the problem of chipping which can occur when using slate.

The dial is delineated for the local latitude and uses two fine wires of stainless steel to create the gnomons cross location shadow. A bifilar sundial is unique in as much as the use of two gnomon wires at different heights at right angles to each other results in the horizontal sundial having equal angle hour lines.

Additional furniture on the sundial plate is a solar graph indicating the hours when the sun will be on the dial at any given time of the year, and an Equation of Time indicator. The latter has a moveable pointer which when rotated to the correct date, and using the Equation of Time graphical curve, indicates on the moveable arm the minutes required to be added or subtracted from the solar time in order to provide Mean Time.

A compass rose is incorporated at the top of the dial for completion of the design. Four small brass plaques are engraved to commemorate Hugo Michnik 1922, myself as designer and maker of this sundial in 2022, the location of the sundial, and the sundial location coordinates.