Sundial equipped with a cannon which fires at noon
A small brass cannon mounted on a marble sundial base, manufactured by Rousseau of Paris
A sundial cannon, sundial gun, noon cannon or meridian cannon,[1] also noonday gun is a device consisting of a sundial incorporating a cannon with a fuse that is lit by an overhanging lens, concentrating the rays of the sun, and causing the cannon to fire at noon, when properly oriented along a north–south axis.[2][3] The cannon sizes ranged from large to small depending on the location of their use. The household variety was used in estates to signal the time for the midday meal.[4] Larger sizes were used in European parks to signal noon.[2][3][4]
The cannons were used by European royalty in the 18th century.[5] Cannons of this type are exhibited at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.[5] The Hamilton Watch Company has a sundial cannon manufactured by Rousseau of Paris ca. 1650. The Rousseau cannon is mounted on a marble sundial and is made of brass.[3] The Sultan of Morocco also owns one that was manufactured by Baker & Sons of London.[3]
Currently the only sun cannon in regular operation was installed in 1853 in a tower in the park of Adelsnäs Manor [sv] in Åtvidaberg, Sweden. Its 6-pounder gun fires daily from May through August (manually lit on cloudy days).[6][7]
^Sirene, Walt H. (12 December 2016). Goldsmith Chandlee, Sundial Maker – Setting Time 1790: Solar Time; Sun; North Star; Noon Mark; Sundial. Walt H. Sirene. p. 131–. GGKEY:BEYD0XBWNP3.
^ abWills, Chuck (25 November 2014). The Illustrated History of Guns: From First Firearms to Semiautomatic Weapons. Skyhorse Publishing Company, Incorporated. pp. 41–42. ISBN 978-1-63220-003-7. SUNDIAL GUN Made in 1788, this "gun" uses the heat of the sun's rays, rather than any type of lock, to fire. The purpose of these so-called sundial guns is to announce the arrival of noon. The purpose of these so-called sundial guns is to announce the arrival of noon.
^ abcdMayall, R. Newton; Margaret W. Mayall (14 June 2012). Sundials: Their Construction and Use. Courier Corporation. p. 227. ISBN 978-0-486-15707-8. A dry wadding is rammed home in the muzzle of the gun and when the dial is mounted upon the parallel for which it is cut, the gun would discharge at twelve o'clock noon fired by the concentrated rays of the sun as it crossed the line.
^ abHearst Magazines (July 1911). Popular Mechanics. Hearst Magazines. p. 1. ISSN 0032-4558. As the sun works around to noon, the solar rays are focused on the fuse, and with the blast, liberated woman knows that dinner is served.
^ abMotorBoating. May 1972. p. 11. ISSN 1531-2623.
^hrnick; Martin (30 December 2016). "Åtvidaberg Sun Cannon". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
^"The World's Only Functioning Sun Cannon". solkanonklubben.se. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
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