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I would like to collect some data from a variety of observers using a
variety of marine sextants taken in a uniform manner.

What I am proposing is to collect data using the following method:

1. Take 5 observations (moon and sun, star or planet) standing on
land. No graphing, just 5 raw observations.


2. Record name of observer, sextant used, power of sextant scope, GMT,
date, Lat and Long, name of body used, distance (corrected with IE),
barometric pressure, temperature, error in each observation (in
minutes)


3. I would propose using Frank's online calculator to evaluate the
error in each observation using the known lat and long and letting it
calculate the heights of the moon and body observed.


4. Angular measurements reported in whole degrees and minutes rounded
to the nearest 0.1'.


5. Make the observations in good conditions and with the moon and body
15 degrees or more above the horizon.


6. Submit the results to me and I will accumulate the data in tabular
form. I could provide an Excel template to use or the results could be
sent in a set text format.

My ambition in doing this would be to have some clear cut answers to
the accuracy and precision questions that come up. What I have found
is that although there have been many postings on the topic, there is
always some question as to how the observation(s) were taken, the
method of evaluation used or what almanac data was used.

Once in electronic format we could proceed to analyze the data in a
multitude of ways.

I would invite comments on this proposal at this point and will remain
hopeful that a few people out there would like to join the endeavour.

Jim


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