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Re: Beta Cap -- the tenth lunars star
From: Jim Thompson
Date: 2004 Jan 21, 06:11 -0400
From: Jim Thompson
Date: 2004 Jan 21, 06:11 -0400
Frank,
1.
Were data for any navigational stars (other than the lunar distance stars)
provided in the almanacs prior to 1834?
2.
What did mariners use the other navigational stars for in 1834? I know
from previous posts that they were rarely used until line of position
navigation, and even then not commonly used for several decades, but what
what did they use them fore before Sumner published his method in the
1840's?
Jim
Thompson
jim2@jimthompson.net
www.jimthompson.net
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-----Original Message-----Last month I noted that "Beta Capricorni" was listed in the 1778 Nautical Almanac for lunar distances, but we didn't have confirmation then as to when it was removed from the list. I had time today to check later editions of the almanac. It was gone by 1780, so I guess it was obvious very early that it was not useful in practice. This makes the list of nine standard lunars stars a remarkably stable and long-lasting group... some thirteen decades with no changes (apart from the addition of the navigational planets in 1834).
From: Navigation Mailing List [mailto:NAVIGATION-L@LISTSERV.WEBKAHUNA.COM]On Behalf Of Frank Reed