Dials of Distinction - Number 14
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The famous dial in Queens' College, Cambridge, is said by some to be designed by Sir Isaac Newton. At least five sundials have existed at the College at various times. The first was put up in 1642 and was in the same position as the present one. Records exist that show the dial in the Bursars accounts for that year. It is thought that the present dial was not painted until after Sir Isaac Newton's death in 1727, so although it is associated with him, it could not have been designed by him. The dial is positioned directly under a clock (1733) and would undoubtedly have been used to set the clock in the days before the Greenwich Time Signal. The dial has been re-painted several times over the centuries, more recently in 1911 and in 1948. The style also has a small ball nodus of a unique design which makes possible the many features of the dial. Lots of dial furniture, including azimuth and altitude lines and the zodiac. The table underneath the dial gives the daily corrections so that the dial can be used by moonlight. For more detailed information about this dial, go to the Queens' College web site. |
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