It's the same logic that was used by ancient astronomers to arrive at 360 degrees for a full revolution.
The math is easier if you have to do it by hand.
this post was submitted on 20 May 2025
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These are called "superior highly composite numbers" apparently https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superior_highly_composite_number
Well it’s because noon means nine because the day starts at six o’ clock, so three is noon, but we use it to mean twelve which is closer to midday, obviously
Hour hand -> hour = n
Minute hand -> minute = n * 5
It makes sense, there's just an algorithm attached to each pointer.
Hour -> 3 = 3
Minute -> 3 = 3 * 5 = 15
The first clocks didn't have a minute hand though.
Relatively funny but gets worse the more you think about it.
The 6 stands for 6, not 30.
When we have AM and PM it would be dumb to have 1-24.
1 is the end of the 1st hour. 2 the end of the second. This is why it starts at 0.
0
She's a witch!
The 6 means 30, both of which also mean 1/2
Somebody never had a clock with roman numerals and it shows
I remember getting into an argument with a grade school teacher over IIII because most such clocks put that for 4 instead of IV because of some fuckin reason
I despise these so so much. IIII was historically NEVER correct. Some doofus decided to put that on a clock because it looks more symmetrical with the VIII on the other side. Terrible reasoning.
Weird, I've seen many analog clocks with Roman numerals but always IV for 4.
It's actually called the "clockmakers four" or "watchmakers four." it's a thing.
Yeah I looked it up and saw it is a thing, and it's interesting. I wonder if the clock I'm thinking of was just a really cheap one that was labeled as you'd expect based on Roman numerals or whether some just didn't follow it.
To be fair, Google searching Roman numerals clocks give you about a 50/50 distribution.
I wasn't aware of this either and I suspect we're not alone. It's not highly noticeable and if there's a 50-50 chance won't even see it...
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Somebody gave me this clock…I just need the time.
piece of art
ten ten
Clocks should use 24h format. AM/PM is completely useless.
No it's not, with a 12h format on an analog watch you can use the sun to find true north. It is also easier to read it when the hands have double the amount of degrees to indicate the number.
Edit -- digital watches should use 24h, I fully agree, maybe there was a misunderstanding because it's analog watches we're talking about here and these could stay 12h IMHO
How do you find north on a 12h face that wouldn't work with a 24h face? Because the method I know, requires correcting for the 12h circle.
I have never seem a 24h wrist watch (I know they exist) aside from extremely seldom as wall clocks
I've looked for them, but they're very hard to find and expensive too. You can't just slap a 24h face on a 12h mechanism, so it's all custom and produced in low volumes. (I think it's technically possible to convert a 12h period into 24h by switching out a single gear, but that might ruin your minute hand too? I'm no clock maker.)
Yeah, that's the method I know.
Divide the angle that is made in half
And that's how you correct for the 12h face.
How the heck do you find north based on your watch? I’m pretty good at knowing where north in based on where I am.
I live in north Manchester so I know Manchester is south. Or I can look at the sun if not midday and figure it out.
How the heck do you find north based on your watch?
I live in north Manchester so I know Manchester is south
What if you go on a trip to Thailand and get turned around in the jungle?
Or I can look at the sun if not midday and figure it out
That gives you a very approximate direction.
It's useless in the jungle, as you can't see the sun.
Thanks.
I don’t generally go places like that, but if I needed to be aware of north I would take a compass.
Still good information though.
It's the same method.
The distance between the sun and 12 is divided by two, because the clock face only shows half the day.
If we had a clock with 24 hours in the circle and used the same method, it'd be the same as pointing at the sun and saying: South is where the sun will be at noon.
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