NavList:

I can't help you with your sextant, but as far as IDing an unknown star, what is important when taking the sight is not only to get the correct altitude, but also getting an Azimuth.  While few stars are going to be at the same altitude at a given time, there might be a few close enough to cause confusion if you don't know the direction you were facing as well.

 

Star finders are the easiest, as you just dial in the LHA of aries at the time of sight with the correct disc for your Latitude, but it only works directly with the major stars, and indirectly with the moon and planets.  If you took a sight of a minor star, it takes a bit more detective work.  The best way is software, but there is a way to do it with an almanac and a sight reduction book if you want to do it "old school."  I find the star finder methods of HO 214 vastly superior to HO 229, but it can be done with the latter as well.

 

JCA

 

 

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