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Fans of longitude and lunars,

Visit Mr. Googly's Internet Book Shoppe, and mention this secret code:
 http://books.google.com/books?id=EVdLAAAAMAAJ .
You'll be able to acquire your very own copy of "The Theory and Practice of
Finding the Longitude at Sea Or Land" by Andrew Mackay, the most recent
edition, published in London in 1809. I have been told that this edition was
printed on the occasion of Mackay's death, and it may be a re-print of the
1807 edition.

Mackay's Longitude is packed with mathematical detail on numerous methods
for finding longitude focusing especially on clearing lunar distance
observations, but also discussing longitude by chronomters, and even more
obscure methods such as finding longitude by the magnetic variation. In
addition, Mackay includes extensive historical background on recent
developments in the methods of finding longitude. For example, he describes
the history of Harrison's famous chronometers, but also places them in the
context of the work of other clockmakers whose contributions are less
well-known. This books is a goldmine.

Among many fascinating theoretical contributions, I'll mention just one
here: Mackay describes a technique for getting a complete fix of position in
latitude and longitude from the altitudes taken as part of a lunar
observation (see chapter VII starting on p.194). Sounds like a good idea...

Only volume I is available. Volume II, I believe, consists of the
accompanying tables.

 -FER


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