Gnomon Assessment for Geographic Coordinate, Solar Horizontal & Equatorial Coordinates, Time of Local Sunrise, Noon, Sunset, Direction of Qibla, Size of Earth & Sun for Lahore Pakistan

Abstract

This study was an effort to calculate geographic coordinates, solar horizontal and equatorial coo-ridnates, direction of Qibla, sizes of Earth and Sun through gnomon (a vertical stick casting shadow). Gnomon has been used in history for remote navigations, astronomical and geodetic measurements. Geographic coordinates were found out with accuracy of less than 0.19 decimal degree from gnomon. Sun's horizontal and equatorial coordinates were calculated and analyzed with US Navy Observatory and NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory. These coordinates were less than 0.01 decimal degree different from coordinates provided by US Navy and following same daily trend with time. Through spherical triangle, direction of Qibla was found out. And it came out less than 0.18 decimal degree different from its value, used in Lahore. Radius of the earth measured from gnomon using concepts of Al Buruni was 1.45 km different from its true value. Using geometrical technique of similar and concurrent triangles, size of the sun was calculated and it was 1,651,088.776 km. Investigation of systematic and random errors in each calculation was the part of this research.