# I want one of those sun-clock things
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-one-of-those-sun-clock-things/102705
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [April 9, 2002, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-one-of-those-sun-clock-things/102705 "2002-04-09T18:14:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)
#### Post date: [April 9, 2002, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-one-of-those-sun-clock-things/102705/1 "2002-04-09T18:14:46Z")
You know what I’m talking about, right? One of those clocks that has a map of the surface of the Earth, and the area that is illuminated by sunlight lit up? Usually it has a true “clock” on the top/bottom of it.
I want one! Not terribly large, but not tiny either. Does anyone know where I can buy one over the net? Prefferebly a Canadian store if thats not asking too much.
Thanks!
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### Author:  [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)
#### Post date: [April 9, 2002, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-one-of-those-sun-clock-things/102705/2 "2002-04-09T18:36:43Z")
[Here is a sun clock screensaver](http://www.mapmaker.com/sunclock.htm)
Haven’t found one to buy yet.
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### Author:  [@chukhung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chukhung)
#### Post date: [April 9, 2002, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-one-of-those-sun-clock-things/102705/3 "2002-04-09T19:39:15Z")
I think the most well-known manufacturer of these type of clocks is Geochron. Their homepage is at [http://www.geochron.net/](http://www.geochron.net/)
They’re not cheap, though. These clocks only seem to come in one size (33 1/4" by 22 1/2") and the list price ranges from $1325 to $2395 (US dollars).
If you actually wanted something smaller than this, maybe a cheap PC running the screen-saver and an LCD display that you could hang on the wall would be the way to go…
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### Author:  [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)
#### Post date: [April 9, 2002, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-one-of-those-sun-clock-things/102705/4 "2002-04-09T20:55:50Z")
Thanks! That is exactly what I wanted!
You are right through… not exactly cheap. I was expecting to pay a few hundred bucks not a couple grand… and I don’t think anyone else makes one.
I appreciate your finding them though! Maybe I can talk the wife into one!
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### Author:  [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)
#### Post date: [April 9, 2002, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-one-of-those-sun-clock-things/102705/5 "2002-04-09T21:22:24Z")
These are executive _toys_. They are _not_ scientific instruments. The areas they show with sunlight only vaguely approximate the truth (at best). There was one at a Univ. I used to work at. The boundary was aways a simple sine wave. But note that on the equinoxes the boundaries should go straight up and down. It was such a poor representation that it was kept near the cafeteria. No science department wanted it anywhere near them.
There are better science gizmos to throw your money at.
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [April 9, 2002, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-one-of-those-sun-clock-things/102705/6 "2002-04-09T22:09:58Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by ftg \*
> **These are executive _toys_. They are _not_ scientific instruments. The areas they show with sunlight only vaguely approximate the truth (at best). There was one at a Univ. I used to work at. The boundary was aways a simple sine wave. But note that on the equinoxes the boundaries should go straight up and down.**
[Hmmmm](http://www.geochron.net/images/originalsm.jpg)
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [April 9, 2002, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-one-of-those-sun-clock-things/102705/7 "2002-04-09T22:18:26Z")
> [@](#):
>
> As you can see from the [photos in this section](http://www.geochron.net/sun.html?mgiToken=6MCCQ0840N2R4K58), this sunlight distribution pattern changes perpetually, as days and seasons progress.
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### Author:  [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)
#### Post date: [April 9, 2002, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-one-of-those-sun-clock-things/102705/8 "2002-04-09T23:55:01Z")
No need to buy anything [http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5/java](http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5/java)
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### Author:  [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2002, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-one-of-those-sun-clock-things/102705/9 "2002-04-10T00:03:11Z")
Or you could just go [**Here**](http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5/java)
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2002, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-one-of-those-sun-clock-things/102705/10 "2002-04-10T00:25:30Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by sailor \*
> \*\*No need to buy anything [http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5/java](http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5/java) \*\*
\***Sun is
shining**
in light
region
**It is
night**
in dark
region\*.
I’m so glad they cleared that up for me.test
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2002, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-one-of-those-sun-clock-things/102705/11 "2002-04-10T00:26:42Z")
test?
where did that come from?
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### Author:  [@old\_nick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/old_nick)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2002, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-one-of-those-sun-clock-things/102705/12 "2002-04-10T01:37:49Z")
You might want to check out xearth at [http://www.cs.colorado.edu/~tuna/xearth/](http://www.cs.colorado.edu/~tuna/xearth/)
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### Author:  [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2002, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-one-of-those-sun-clock-things/102705/13 "2002-04-10T09:53:43Z")
\>\> Sun is shining in light region
\>\> It is night in dark region.
\>\> I’m so glad they cleared that up for me
Please note it is a government site. You are probably overestimating them.