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Re: Carry on, Mr. Bowditch
From: Dave Weilacher
Date: 2003 Jan 15, 16:58 -0800
From: Dave Weilacher
Date: 2003 Jan 15, 16:58 -0800
I didn't mean to contend he had invented the lunar. My understanding was that he invented the concept of taking a lunar without having to wait for this occulting thing. Moore's nautical almanac would have been necessary to take a lunar even if it were only accomplished during an occulting situation. I also gathered that Bowditch identified over 8000 errors in Moore's tables. Please allow me to restate my question. I really don't understand this occulting business. Would you please explain it. Additionally, I have followed most of the lunar distance threads avidly. It has all been discussed at a level beyond my understanding. I keep hoping that someone will start over with truly basic description of the process. I'm missing it badly. On Wed, 15 Jan 2003 19:34:09 -0500 Fred Hebardwrote: > The Nautical Almanac was first published in the > 1760s, about 40 years > prior to Bowditch's time. It was published > primarily to facilitate > the computation of time by observation of > distances between the moon > and other celestial objects, the classical > lunar so much discussed on > this list. And the sextant was invented > primarily to perform the > measurements of those lunar distances to the > precision required. A > sextant is not needed to observe occultations. > So Bowditch did not > invent the lunar. But, according to the book > on navigation that > bears his name, he did markedly simplify the > calculations to where > they could be performed by ordinary seamen > rather than only by those > with extremely high proficiency in mathematics. > Lunars for the rest > of us. > > I don't know what a three-star lunar is, but > others on this list may > be able to enlighten us. > > Fred > -- > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Frederick V. Hebard, PhD > Email: mailto:Fred@acf.org > Staff Pathologist, Meadowview Research Farms > Web: http://www.acf.org > American Chestnut Foundation > Phone: (276) 944-4631 > 14005 Glenbrook Ave. > Fax: (276) 944-0934 > Meadowview, VA 24361 > Dave Weilacher .US Coast Guard licensed captain . #889968 .ASA Instructor Evaluator & Celestial . Nav. Instructor #990800 .IBM AS400 RPG contract programmer