Sundial

3D printing a sun-dial is a great way to learn about our solar system, and the history of astronomy (from the ancients like Aristarchus of Samos, through to Copernicus and Galileo). Our sense of time is determined by the spinning of the earth, and it changes depending on where we are in our orbit around the sun. A sundial is a time-telling device that is most closely linked to these cycles. The more the kid understands about the earth and the sun, the better they will be able to place it more accurately (parallel to the Earth's rotational axis), and even adjust their 3D design for their geography (it can be made more precise that way).

A sun-dial also tells another story: the history of time-telling. For thousands of years people have tried to make machines to tell the time - such as sundials, water clocks, candle clocks, hourglass and through to the more modern devices using gears, springs and weights, or today’s electronic and atomic clocks. Kids can learn about the ancient c