At Sungai Menyala, the sun still tells the time
Tucked inside a lowland forest in Port Dickson, a giant sundial offers visitors a hands-on way to explore astronomy, shadow and the passage of time.
At Sungai Menyala Forest Reserve in Port Dickson, Malaysia, visitors can still tell the time using a large sundial installed in the Astronomy Square. The sundial, built in 2023, allows visitors to observe the sun's movement and shadow to understand timekeeping. Senior forest ranger Ahmad Syafiq Abdul Aziz explained the sundial was added during the forest's development as an astronomy-related attraction.
The structure, occupying a 2-meter diameter area, features a gnomon casting a shadow to indicate the time based on the sun's position. The sundial's setup required careful consideration of the site's geography and the sun's daily movements. Since its opening, the sundial has become a popular attraction for astronomy enthusiasts and students studying Islamic astronomy, providing a hands-on experience of ancient timekeeping methods.
The Astronomy Square also offers various outdoor activities like jungle trekking, cycling, night walks, camping, and stargazing, making it a popular destination for nature lovers and astronomy enthusiasts. The sundial has earned recognition in the Malaysia Book of Records for being the largest horizontal sundial within a permanent forest reserve.
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- At Sungai Menyala, the sun still tells the time freemalaysiatoday.com
