This fall, keen-eyed observers might have noticed a new addition on campus: a sundial outside the Simmons dorm.
On October 13, 2023, Daniel Wareham ’24 and Deerfield carpenter John Downie P ‘15, ‘17, ‘20 engineered a tilted plane that could show the time and the month at any time the sun was shining.
Wareham was first inspired to create this sundial when he learned about it in Multivariable Calculus duringin his junior year. During the spring term, he and his group learned about map projections. After spending the summer designing the stainless steel sundial, he had the opportunity in the fall to install it. “Make a quote”
There is already a sundial outside the library, but Wareham had something new to offer with his sundial: aA mathematical explanation behind the timepiece. With this explanation, Daniel saidsays, “I want to inspire fellow students to explore mathematical concepts.”
After coming up with the idea, Daniel had a spot in mind: off to the west side of the midpoint of the path between Albany Road and the west entrance to the Hess. This was ideal for him because it allowed the best view of the sun to the south as it uses the shadow from the sun to cast onto a flat plate, and the shadow aligns with different hour-lines marked on the dial. The flat plate has to be tilted up from the horizontal to what the latitude is and must be perfectly parallel to the axis of the Earth’s rotation.
The sun also is not steady during the year, so it is not in the same position during the same time in different months. Wareham accommodates that using a separate graph that shows how off the sundial is throughout the year.
He found the exact coordinates of the existing sundial in front of the library and calculated how to draw the lines and make the gnomon, which is the part of a sundial that casts a shadow.
Over the summer in China, Wareham sent his designs to a contractor to be laser cut and etched. He brought it to Deerfield with him as he arrived back from the summer.
Wareham’s sundial required a permit from Physical Plant, but the department did not have permission to put the sundial where Wareham initially intended. They offered, instead, to put the sundial in front of the Simmons dormitory. To prevent lawn mowing interference, they put it in the tree bed facing the Chen Health Center.
Mr. Downie helped Wareham with the sundial’s instillation. It sits upon two stones and is tilted 42 degrees to the south to capture the sunlight. During installation, instead of using a compass, Wareham lined up the direction of the plane to face north-south with the North Star at night. He also used two stones from a nearby construction yard that were the height he wanted.
Math Teacher Forest Reid was excited to see this addition to campus. “It is a nice demonstration of the opportunities to help students explore interesting projects,” he said.
Although this location was not ideal due to light blockage during the early morning and afternoon, Wareham was still really thankful to be given this opportunity. “The Physical Plant want things like this to exist on campus,” he said, “and they’re very helpful with making things like this happen.”
Zohan Subhash ’26 was extremely impressed and excited about the sundial, which inspired him to think about how to apply what he learned in school. “This sundial was built by a Deerfield student, using the knowledge he learned in Deerfield classes,” he said. “Hearing his story inspired me to aspire higher in all my classes, but especially in math.”
According to Wareham, the school will have to remove the installation by the end of the school year, but Wareham hopes for a permanent home in the JV Baseball field. “[The Physical Plant] doesn’t have permission to place student-made things at prominent places permanently. … This sundial has ‘Deerfield Academy’ engraved on it, so I hope the school can find a good home for it here even after I graduate.”
If the sundial becomes permanent, it could serve as a source of inspiration for future community members. As Subhash reflected, “Students fifteen years from now will look at that sundial and be amazed. They will be proud to be a Deerfield student.”