SLAS Regular Meeting
Friday, March 18, 2016 7:30pm
McDonnell Hall, Washington University

Sundials – The World's Oldest Clocks

by

Dr. Don Snyder
North American Sundial Society

How the motions of the sun and earth are used to tell time will be described. Some history and mathematics of sundials will be covered, but briefly. Various types of sundials will be described, including ones that are artistic, ones serve as memorials, and ones that are unusual. I will show some sundials I have made. Building a sundial requires determining the markings on it that indicate time, creating any artistic elements to be on it, and selecting construction materials and methods. Approaches for accomplishing this will be described. This will be an overview presentation, leaving mathematical details to a talk on some other sunny day.

Donald Snyder is a Senior Professor of Electrical and Systems Engineering at Washington University. His research interest in imaging science includes projects in x-ray and positron-emission tomography and in the recovery of optical imagery acquired using telescopes through atmospheric turbulence and with less than ideal optics. He served as a Topical Editor for the J. of the Optical Society of America (JOSA-A) and as an Associate Editor and President of the IEEE Information Theory Society. For more detailed biographical information (including publication citations ranging from work on random processes, radiology, telescope and microscope imaging, sundials and woodworking), see his website at http://DLS-WEBSITE.COM.

Meeting Agenda

Welcome

Introduction of Officers and Visitors

Main Speaker:  Dr. Don Snyder

Astro 101: 2016 Eclipse Videos!!

Meeting for April moved to April 22

Night Sky Network Outreach Awards

Raffle Tickets for:
1. Lowell Talk which is SOLD OUT!
2. MSRAL registration fee

MSRAL 2016 - June 3-5, 2016 - Columbia, MO  Hosted by MU Physics Dept

Volunteers needed for MSRAL

Star Parties

Other Announcements

Vacancies in SLAS:

Merchandise Chair - Organizes and selects SLAS merchandise to offer to the public and to members

Eyepiece kits for sale