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Greg,

To find latitude using an artificial horizon is limited to bodies that have transit altitudes below 60* for sextants and 45* for octants. Daytime bodies include the Sun, Moon, and perhaps Venus. Night time bodies include the Moon, planets, and stars. There shouldn't be an issue of finding a suitable celestial body that will transit during the night. The quality of the artificial horizon may limit the observer to only high magnitude stars. Polaris would be tough to observe in an water type artificial horizon.

Greg Rudzinski

Re: Lewis & Clark's artificial horizons
From: Greg Licfi
Date: 2014 Jan 02, 10:12 -0500
Hi Guys,
Yes, I have read about the three artificial horizons in various documents and on websites.
I also read their inventory - and nowhere did I see a reflecting circle, or similar instrument.
So I ask the list: how did they deal with the large (2X) angles caused by using a artificial
horizon - particularly during late spring & summer with the additional tilt? Did they only
do Lat by Polaris? Any incites?
Thanks,
~Greg

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