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John, you wrote:
"If we can't agree on the label for this point, let's call it the
"controversial Point", the CP."

Let's see... I think it's called Z, isn't it? ZPS triangle?? And which point 
do you choose for its Z (projected onto the celestial sphere)? In some 
methods you can use the DR (or the EP if you define these differently, or a 
GPS position if you have one since it then *immediately* gives you an 
estimate of your sight errors). In other methods you choose a specific "AP" 
to get the numbers to work out right. I have long felt that there are too 
many of these acronyms floating around, just on aesthetic grounds, whether 
they're a source of confusion or not! :-)

And John you wrote:
"Then, for List members, I can rephrase my favorite question:  Why does
the St. Hilaire method use a CP instead of just calculating the LOP
directly?  (I think Frank says there's no confusion on the answer to
this question.)"

Did I say that? Really, I'm not entirely sure just what you're trying to ask 
here, so I maybe I should stay neutral on whether there's confusion on this 
:-). Of course, celestial navigation has always been taught as a "practical 
art". Students learn it, understand the underlying principles in some sense 
varying from completely clear, for the geometrically clever, to hazy at best, 
for the geometrically challenged. Point being, it's not taught like math of 
physics, from first principles. It's taught to get the job done. Because of 
that tradition (which may be historical now), there's bound to be confusion 
about the "real" reasons for doing things among many navigators who know how 
to do the practical work with perfect competence and confidence.

-FER



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