Miscellaneous sundial types

Polar bifilar sundial, Gockingastraat, Appingedam

The dial was constructed in 1988. It is located in a little square, which connects the main shopping street of Appingedam with a parking lot.

The sundial has a pole-style made from dark glass; together with the base plate this constitutes a polar dial. The edge of its shadow thus indicates the time, in this case local apparent time.
The special thing here is the second line, a curve made from yellow glass. The date is read from the point where its shadow intersects the shadow of the pole-style. The curvature of the second line is calculated so as to yield straight date lines. A novel feature!

Another specialty is the base plate. The concrete is processed in such a way that the numerals and signs of the zodiac are standing out sharply and clearly, even after more than 10 years!

A low brick wall has three explanatory panels. The first one tells how to read the time; the second provides the corrections for the time zone, the equation of time and daylight saving time (including a table, which is not correct since the end of DST occurs one month later). The third one, shown here, explains how to read the date.

Location: 53.3° N, 6.9° E
Design: Eugène Roebroeck
Inauguration: May 1988

Appingedam is over 1000 years old. At the end of the Middle Ages it flourished, being the only sea port in the region. The big, Romanesque-Gothic church and the old City Hall in Renaissance style still witness this period.
A peculiar sight are the 'hanging kitchens' over the Damsterdiep.