DST stories: Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance

[Scott Harrington]

On KQED's "City Arts and Lectures" program last night I heard an
interesting story about daylight savings time.  Dr. John Heilbron was
discussing his book "The Sun in the Church: Cathedrals as Solar
Observatories"[1], and in particular the Shrine of Remembrance[2] located
in Melbourne, Australia.

Apparently the shrine's main purpose is a beam of sunlight which
illuminates a special spot on the floor at the 11th hour of the 11th day
of the 11th month (Remembrance Day) every year in memory of Australia's
fallen WWI soldiers.  And if you go there on Nov. 11, at 11am local time,
you will indeed see the sunbeam illiminate the special spot at the
expected time.

However, that is only because of some special mirror contraption that had
to be employed, since due to daylight savings time, the true solar time of
the remembrance moment occurs one hour later (or earlier?).  Perhaps
someone with more information on this jury-rig can tell us more.

[1] http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog/HEISUN.html
[2] http://www.shrine.org.au