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Jared,

You said, among other things, "I think many of us (myself included!) have
some conceptual problems caused by the way we have learned basic terms and
concepts."

I agree. I believe that's what made it hard for most people to accept the
idea of using calculated altitudes to work lunars. I also believe it's what
has made the old nautical astronomy incomprehensible to twentieth century
navigators.

The old system was pretty much upside down and backward from our own, and had
to be. Moreover, it used words and phrases that had one meaning then and a
different one now. I expect the only way to learn how the navigators of
Bowditch's day thought is to work their problems the way they did. Then, with
luck, the old view will become clear.

Bruce

   

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