I would never have had a reason to visit St. Louis, and am very glad to have had the excuse. The botanical garden is, I think, the most beautiful garden I have ever visited. As the Guide Michelin would put it ca vaut le detour. And if you ever do make the detour to the Missouri botanical garden, Rogers Ottoman sundial is both beautiful as a piece of stonework and fascinating for its historical and gnomonical significance. You also get Ron Rineharts dial and a schmoyer dial and at least one sculpture sitting in a bed of (guess what: thyme). A triple vaut le detour for St. Louis Missouri.
Jack Aubert. From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Roger Bailey Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 5:47 PM To: Sundial Mailing List Subject: Missouri Ottoman Sundial The Sundial Tour for the NASS conference in St Louis Missouri visited the Missouri Botanical Garden where three new sundials were on display. There was a dedication ceremony for Ron Rinehart's "scientific sundial". See http://www.scisundials.com/SciSundials/Welcome.html Don Snyder, our local host, donated a "Schmoyer Sunquest" sundial by Bill Gottesman. See http://www.precisionsundials.com/schmoyer.htm The highlight for me was the Ottoman Sundial I designed and Abraham Mohler carved. The reoriented dial was completed just in time for the Garden Members meeting and the NASS tour. This dial with a 28' square marble dial plate stands 42' high as a centerpiece in the Ottoman Garden. It has two gnomons and four time systems: The polar gnomon works with the outer scale to show regular solar time based on 12 noon. The Ezanic dial with a vertical gnomon shows Babylonian hours based on 12 sunrise, Italian hours based on 12 sunset and Moslem prayer times, Zuhr and Asr. The plinth is now aligned with the axis of the garden (N 9º E) and the dials are aligned to the polar axis. The NASS members can confirm that the dial now accurately shows correct solar times. I would like to thank NASS members and many on this list who provided information and advice on this project. It is a beautiful dial that I am pleased to have the opportunity to provide the design. Abraham Mohler, a local sculptor in St Louis did an excellent job fabrication the dial and accurately carving the lines Pictures and further information are available on my website. The direct link is http://www.walkingshadow.info/Ottoman.html The whole story is outlined in my NASS Conference presentation, a 10 MB PowerPoint file. Enjoy, Roger Bailey "Life's but a Walking Shadow"
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