Using the Sun to tell time is an ancient idea, but we can take advantage of modern technology to bring it into the 21st century for students in astronomy, physics, or physical science classes. We have employed smartphones, Google Earth, and 3D printing to find the moment of local noon at two widely separated locations. By reviewing GPS time-stamped photos from each place, we are able to illustrate that local noon is longitude-dependent and therefore explain the need for time zones.
Topics
Clocks,
Geodesy,
Data science,
Celestial mechanics,
3D printing,
Educational aids,
Education,
Teaching,
Books,
Journal
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Many users will have this feature disabled for privacy if they post photos to social media sites.
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2016
American Association of Physics Teachers
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