NavList:

I have decided teach Celestial navigation course here in Newport Rhode Island.
From what I understand no one wants to go to such a course because of the easy electronic devices. Why bother.
When I did teach a civilian course here many years ago I only had a few students, so this course depends on if I can get students and material. I will use a nautical almanac dated 1973,( I have 5) since the format of the nautical almanac and the data is selected for the first point of Aries and SHA for stars and even the sun is close to the almanac of today. Of course the real reason is I'm not able to buy all new nautical almanacs for what may be a no go course. I also have four or five reduction tables NO 0229 which I plan on using. If anyone is getting ready to throw out nautical almanacs are reduction tables I would be glad to accept them.
My name Byron Franklin my address 109 Champlin Pl. N., Newport, RI 02840.
My purpose is to see if I can start interest in celestial navigation, I realize that no one really needs it.
I did belong to the foundation of navigation which had a purpose of trying to keep celestial navigation in the public and sailing clubs eye. The real problem with celestial navigation is that it is too difficult as being taught, to revive celestial navigation there has to be interest starting with the young. Why do I say celestial navigation is too difficult, while teaching that OCS Newport I found that even the college graduates had problems with the concept and the simple add and subtract. (BUT, why can’t a fifth grader learn about the sky and stars?)
Years ago, I was asked if I had any new solutions to celestial navigation as I did for Piloting, my answer was to make a training AID, The two minute Star Finder, so that the student could see each definition talked about and need needed to understand the Sight form. I think I have accomplished that. I am sending sight form with star form on Antares I actually took recently off Newport. The day of the observance was February 25 2010; I worked the problems with the nautical almanac 1973. Before working the problem on the sight form I took two minutes to set up my star finder. To see how far off it was to the sight form.
I was then able to find the rough answers to my sight form blanks for GHA V-GHA SHA, longitude, latitude, LHA; height computed ZN and was also able to see all definition, even the Astronomical Triangle graphically on my star finder. I am sending this sight form and the star finder representation graphic for you to observe. If all goes well and I can get the students I will teach this procedure in September this year. Of course it will depend on the amount of students and making more star finder's to satisfy the students. Hopefully I can get 4 students on a book. See if you can also see how this may make a difference. I would like feedback good or bad.Power Point below.
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