Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Jantar Mantar is a name from two Sanskrit words meaning what?
2. Which Hindu Rajput ruler was responsible for the construction of Jantar Mantar in the early 18th century?
3. This is the Vrihat Samrat Yantra at Jaipur. Although the structure on the right may remind you of the stairway to nowhere seen briefly in an episode of 'The Simpsons', it actually has a very specific function. Which of these describes it?
4. On days when the Samrat Yantra cannot provide accurate sun position measurements, another structure called the Dakshin Bhitti Yantra is used. On which day or days does it get pressed into service?
5. This is the Narivalaya Yantra, another monumental sundial that can be seen at Jantar Mantar. It consists of a circular dial, which is situated at an angle, on which a thin rod in its centre is pointed at one of the earth's poles. What determines the angle of inclination needed for this instrument to produce accurate measurements of time?
6. This image shows one of the two bowl-shaped structures called the Jai Prakash Yantra. If you look closely, you can see two crossed wires at the top of the hemisphere, supporting a small metal plate with a hole in its centre. Is this plate used for day time observations or night time observations?
7. The Chakra Yantra, pictured, is used for measuring the position of celestial objects that can be seen during the night.
8. The Unnatasha Yantra at Jaipur, seen here, is designed to be used for observation of solar eclipses.
9. Here is part of the Rama Yantra, another device for locating celestial objects. It consists of two open-roofed cylindrical structures, each with a pole at the centre. The radius of each cylinder, the height of its walls, and the height of the central pole, all need to be precisely constructed to allow accurate measurements. How are these three dimensions related to each other?
10. The Rashi Valaya Yantra is a set of twelve (12) sundials whose orientation is unusual - they do not point due north. This is because they are not used to measure solar (sun) time, but are rather based on sidereal time. With what astronomical entities are they aligned?
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