CADRAN SOLAIRE

The Poussan sundial is an analemmatic or azimuth sundial. By definition, an analemmatic sundial is any flat sundial on which the time is read at the intersection of a graduated ellipse and the shadow of a vertical style, which can be a person. It was commissioned by the municipality after reading and approving the project presented to them by Roger Tognetti, a gnomonist from Poussin. The dial was first created by Vincent Gascon, a stonemason, in his workshop in Poussan. It was cut and adjusted by skilled craftsmen, then tested and reassembled on a concrete base to ensure perfect horizontality. The tabletop is made of blue sidolite, a semi-precious stone from Bolivia. The central part is in Pyrenean slate and the ellipse in Carrara marble. The hours are marked on yellow Jerusalem stone. All inscriptions are inlaid, resin-filled and surfaced, making them indelible. Overall dimensions are 6m x 4.60m. A tripod style is available to the public in the town hall. The table in front of the sundial lists all the corrections required to convert solar time into the time on our watches. The sundial was tested on Saturday June 2, 2012, in the presence of a large audience. Taking into account the corrections in the table, the accuracy of the readings is in the order of one minute, which is exceptional. It is, without a doubt, one of the finest and most accurate in France, in its category.