Free Astronomy Magazine March-April 2022

42 ASTRO PUBLISHING the plants we consume, the Sun pro- vides a temporal reference, allow- ing the human being to measure the passage of time. The ancients counted 12 hours between sunrise and sunset − a practical measure for A ncient and modern civiliza- tions alike share a special bond with the sky and the stars, and in particular with the Sun. In addition to illuminating us, warm- ing us, and providing energy to grow The sundial, from antiquity to computer drawing by Fran ç ois Blateyron translated by Michele Ferrara and revised by Damian G. Allis NASA Solar System Ambassador T he magnificent sundial at All Souls College in Oxford (United Kingdom). Sun- dials are often the support for the artistic expression of their creator. [Photo FB]