This is a great spot that a lot of people don't know about. There used to be a cache here called 'Sundial Plaza'. We thought it was quite an interesting place and thought the cache page had great information about how the sundial worked so it is included here. We've placed the cache a ways away from the sundial but do check it out. We noticed that the shadow was just where it ought to be while we were there and matched our watches perfectly.
Sundial
The Sundial indicates the time during daylight by the Sun casting a shadow of the Central Mast (Gnomon) on to the hour face located on the floor of the Plaza. By locating the center of the spherical shadow, local sun time can be read. Sun time and Clock time coincide only on 4 days of the year. At other times a Sundial will be either a little ahead or a behind clock time. This is because the Earth orbits the Sun in an elliptical path and also spins on its own axis.
There are three lines on the Sundial Plaza. According to the Gregorian Calendar, the spherical shadow will center on the nearest curved line at the Summer Solstice on 21st June and on the farthest curved line at the Winter Solstice on 21st December. It will cross the middle straight line at the Spring Equinox on 21st March and the Autumn Equinox on the 22nd September.
Nightdial
The Nightdial indicates the time during the night by the Laser projecting a beam from the sphere located at the tip of the mast on the hour face located on the floor of the Plaza. The Laser casts a circle of green light on the outer rim of the Plaza which indicates accurate clock time. The moving light, which is controlled by satellites, advances every 18 seconds from 6 pm and completes one revolution every 12 hours.
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