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Delving into back issues of the Journal of Navigation, I've come across this
contribution (attached) from Bruce Stark to the Forum section, back in 1987
(page 394, vol 40).

It's particularly relevant to the thread "Lunars Tables" that ran a month
ago on Navlist, which started with a request for explanation of how Bruce's
tables worked. That thread incuded an attempt at an explanation of those
tables from me, before becoming aware of Bruce's paper on the subject.

There are several members interested in the detailed inner-working of
clearing lunars; they may include Fred Hebard, Andres Ruiz, Scott Owen, Kent
Nordstrom, and probably more.

I've seen no signs of Bruce on Navlist for some time now, but he is still
around, and actively contributing to the "Navigator's Newsletter".

You will note that in the paper Bruce writes- "A book of tables must be
published to make the method convenient enough for modern taste ..." and
ends "The tables, if published, should be useful ..." Some years later, they
were indeed published, by Lant-horn Press, as "Tables for clearing the lunar
distance".  Mine is the second edition, of 1997, which is
ISBN 0-9650573-0-5. It was, and I hope still is, available through
Celestaire.

I haven't checked whether those tables as published are in exactly the same
form as Bruce foresaw in 1987.

In his doctoral thesis on Mayer's lunar predictions , (now Dr) Steven
Wepster, well-known to many old Nav-L members, quoted Bruce's tables in his
list of references, and writes, after listing many early texts, "A
refreshing modern approach in in Stark...".

Potential users should be aware that Bruce's tables will take up rather a
lot of room on a chartroom shelf, however.

George.

contact George Huxtable at george@huxtable.u-net.com
or at +44 1865 820222 (from UK, 01865 820222)
or at 1 Sandy Lane, Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxon OX13 5HX, UK.

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