NavList:

Dear NavList Members,

Since the nearest ocean is hundreds of miles away from where I live, I must use an artificial horizon in order to work with my sextant.  A pan filled with water works fine enough for me for observations of the moon at night and the sun.  Now these days both the sun and the moon are simultaneously visible during the day, which would allow for a fix on one's position - if the altitudes of both bodies can be measured.  As you probably can guess, with all the glare I was unable to observe the reflection of the moon... so here is my question: are there any tricks that would allow one to construct a usable artificial horizon for the daytime observation of the moon?  And to take it one notch further, how about an artificial horizon for the stars and planets (at night, of course)?  Are there any systematic methods to ensure that the star reflected on the surface is indeed the one I intend to observe?

Many thanks.


Peter Hakel