September 2017
Page 2

Modern Observations using the 1702 Meridian Line of the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri (Rome)

This article is based on a 2016 conference talk detailing modern observations of solar transits on Rome's 1702 meridian line. The purpose was to determine the obliquity of the ecliptic, length of the year, and time of vernal equinox. Analysis of 54 data points gathered between 1996 and 2015 confirmed that the obliquity has grown smaller since the line's construction.
Dials: Noon Lines, Historical Dials, How Sundials Work, Mathematics of Dialling

Woody Sullivan
Mallory Thorp
Guadalupe Tovar
Jennifer Look