NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Calculating accurate apparent-angles between stars
From: William Allen
Date: 2003 Jan 7, 17:26 -0800
From: William Allen
Date: 2003 Jan 7, 17:26 -0800
Hello guys, I have been silently following the lunar discussion with fascination for the last year or so. You might say I am on the lunar-tic fringe. I agree with George and his assessment of our needs for some detail behind Bruce's tables (which I own and have used, but like many, I wish I knew the rationale for what I am doing). Also, George, I really appreciate the write-ups you did explaining lunars. Am I correct that there are only 4 parts or have I missed number 5? I am not trying to rush you, because what you have done so far is absolutely amazing. Also, with all the discussion that has been going on, I don't know if you had given any thought to going back through these and making any additions or corrections that might apply. I can understand, however, if you don't have the time to do this. I have tried to make modifications as the emails came out, but I'm not sure I got everything right. On your suggestion, I bought the Text-Book on Sperical Astronomy by W.M. Smart, which has been extremely helpful. I have also tried to find the Cotter book on the history of navigation, but I haven't been able to locate one. Does anyone on the list have any ideas where this might be found? I have been searching the web pretty diligently. Thanks again to all for their fascinating comments and hard work. Regards, Bill Allen M/V ELVICA (Moored in Santa Barbara, CA) -----Original Message----- From: Navigation Mailing List [mailto:NAVIGATION-L@LISTSERV.WEBKAHUNA.COM]On Behalf Of George Huxtable Sent: Tuesday, January 07, 2003 4:30 PM To: NAVIGATION-L@LISTSERV.WEBKAHUNA.COM Subject: Re: Calculating accurate apparent-angles between stars Fred Hebard asked, about Bruce Stark's Lunar Tables- >George > >I wonder whether you and Bruce could share your correspondence on his >method with the group. Reply from George- Well, our private correspondence covered those very questions that Bruce has just elucidated to the list, so I doubt it would add much more than he has just done. If there is more to add, I think it's up to Bruce to decide to provide it, or not. Many subscribers to this list, and owners of Bruce's tables, would value a full account of the thinking that went into their clever construction. We modern lunartics differ, I suggest, from old-time mariners: in general they would have been content with any tool that gave the right answers, whether or not they understood how it worked. I would like to think that most of us are driven by a greater degree of intellectual curiosity, and feel that we need to know what's going on. I hope Bruce can be persuaded to write an appendix to his lunar tables which explains their internal working. Will he take the hint? It's up to him. George Huxtable.