Schedule by Session

Meridian sundials were installed in the early 19th century to ensure accurate local timekeeping for the expanding railway network. The meridian at Bromley House Library, Nottingham, was recently uncovered during renovations and is one of only four surviving meridia in the country being installed before 1834 (others located in Durham Cathedral and Former Custom House in Ramsgate, Bateman 2008). Although previous work (Bateman 1999) has explored its historic background and to some extent the physics behind this device, visitors to the library are unclear about the meaning of the exposed brass line running across the carpet. There are limited interpretive displays and resources to inform the public about this historically and scientifically important instrument.
In this status report of our project funded by the Institute of Physics, we present the live-streaming of the Sun’s position. Our work visualises the local midday measured in situ by the meridian and compare the results with simulations of the meridian, and Greenwich Mean Time. Both the real context, informal environment as well as unusual historic context and background offers motivation and inspiration to engage with more complex topics of solar movement and astronomical coordinate systems essential for the exploration of time. During our work aspects of complex shadow casting are showcased, elaborating on penumbral shadows and types of projections. The preliminary results clarify aspects of the meridian’s history and also outline the wide range of future outreach opportunities targeting time and the Sun’s apparent motion through the online resource.