Three ways of measuring time

Description.

Gnomon is provided with the nodus and is fixed on the wall at three points via stainless steel pins. To fine-tune the gnomon, it is equipped with a special mechanism that allows you to adjust the position of the gnomon in 3D coordinates.

The instrument has three scales. One of them is made in the form of a cartouche and is designed to measure the true solar time in terms of the modern time measuring system. The shadow of the gnomon casted onto the cartouche indicates the true solar time at the meridian of the city of Shchelkovo.

The lines crossing the face of the dial from the first to the third quadrant are delineated to display the time in terms of Babylonian hours. With this method of time counting the day starts at the moment of sunrise. Babylonian hours are recorded by the shade of nodus. Babylonian hours was used at the turn of the old era to the new one. The blue field marks the Babylonian hours from the beginning of the of Jesus crucifixion to His removal from the cross.

The lines crossing the dial face from the second to the fourth quadrant display the time in terms of Italian hours. With this method, time counting starts at sunset. In some monasteries, this system of time measurement is yet used today.

The instrument is installed in Shelkovo city. The mosaic set is made by I. Volkova.