NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
From: Frank Reed
Date: 2010 Feb 27, 01:29 -0800
In addition to the class that I've already mentioned in "19th century celestial navigation methods" which I will be teaching in late March
(http://fer3.com/x.aspx/11927), I will be teaching another weekend class in April. This will also be held at the Treworgy Planetarium at Mystic Seaport. It is "Easy Introductory Celestial Navigation by Noon Sun".
Here's the link on Mystic Seaport's web site:
http://mysticseaport.org/planetarium_cw#noonsun
This is just straight-forward latitude and longitude by observations of the Sun at and around Local Apparent Noon.
And the general description:
"A two-day weekend class (second day optional) on using a sextant and how to find latitude and longitude using simple observations. This is a modern technique based on classical celestial navigation. It's ideal as a GPS backup. It is also fashioned for the sextant enthusiast interested in using the instrument to get a real position fix without the time and expense of a ten-week course. Students will learn how to use and adjust a sextant, and they will receive advice on buying sextants through online auctions and elsewhere and how to avoid counterfeit sextants. Students will learn how to get latitude and longitude using sights at, and around, local noon. Students will also learn how to correct for vessel motion, a critical detail frequently omitted. Students will take away the knowledge and the skills to navigate using sextant observations of the sun at noon almost anywhere on Earth.
Day 1: (Two 3-hour sessions)
The behavior of the Sun at noon and its connection with navigation, Use and adjustment of a marine sextant, Latitude by the Noon Sun, Sight-taking opportunity (weather permitting)
Day 2: (Two 3-hour sessions)
Altitude corrections required for accurate latitude, Longitude by sights around noon and statistical issues, Correcting for vessel motion, Sight-taking opportunity (weather permitting)
This class is appropriate for adults as well as younger students with basic math skills. If you can add and subtract, you can navigate using the Sun. A basic understanding of latitude and longitude are the only prerequisites for this class."
Please note: If you point anyone to the above web site, advise them that sign up details on are on the upper right margin of the web page.
-FER
PS: The Treworgy Planetarium was named last year for Don Treworgy, director of the planetarium for decades, who passed away in late September, 2009. Since that's an unusual last name (a Cornish family transplanted to Maine over 200 years ago), I feel compelled to provide the pronunciation. Take the word "truer", as we Americans pronounce it, and add the exclamation "gee": Treworgy is pronounced "TRUer-gee".
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