Sundial at Sundial Hotel, Whistler, BC - Sundials on Waymarking.com

Whistler BC was the site for the alpine ski events in the 2010 Winter Olympics. In the centre of this ski town is Sundial Place but there is no sundial in the obvious spot in the centre of the plaza. Over towards the ski lifts to Whistler and Blackcomb mountains is the Sundial Boutique Hotel. Again there is no sundial on the Sundial Hotel. I asked at the desk and was shown an interesting complex instrument in one corner of the lobby, the sundial for the Sundial Hotel.

This is not the usual type of sundial, showing the time from a shadow but an ecliptic armillary sphere. This dial shows the position of the sun in the celestial sphere. The photo shows the instrument the vertical meridian ring, a meridian ring that rotates on the polar axis, a ecliptic ring that rotates in the meridian ring and holds the slate disk inscribed with angles, symbols and script. I do not recognize the script, Sanskrit perhaps The hotel staff did not know the provenance of the sundial other that recognizing it was old, oriental, valuable and complex. They permitted me to look, take pictures but not to touch.

Is this a sundial? Not by the narrow definition but in a broader definition that includes armillary spheres, yes. Have a look at the presentation on "Armillary Spheres", #19 on the list at www.walkingshadow.info

I hope you enjoyed the 2010 Olympics in our "backyard". Actually we live on Vancouver Island and Whistler is on the mainland, about 150 km away. The Olympics reminded me of our search for the sundial at Sundial Place.

Sundial Type: Armillary Sphere - series of rings in plane of equator Related Web Site: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   09/25/2012 gypsie2 visited it