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Douglas wrote:

> I've done this. It provides a method of checking a sextant but is not easy
with
> accuracy unless you have some clamping system to hold the sextant still and be
> able to rotate the sextant into alignment.

I have any number of photographic tripods and clamping (grip) systems. They
are great for determining if a measured semi diameter is off due to frame
flex or astigmatism.  Great for calibrating a practice bubble horizon at LAN
from a known latitude.  Terrible for star-to-star distances.

While some can use one star for index error/index correction I cannot. I
just can't see it within a minute of an arc.  However, as pointed out with
star-to-star one has the advantage of swinging the two across each other
(much easier to align IMHO) as well as two different magnitudes and quite
often two different colors.

As an analogy, you can take the finest rifle and scope available, bench
mount the pair and bore sight them for a given range, then add the
match-grade ammo of your choice into the equation and dynamically test the
system--then adjust.  All that does is give you advantage in the field. Once
you take it off the bench, the skill of the operator to hold it steady and
adjust for recoil, muzzle flip, elevation and windage makes all the
difference.

Just a thought--or two.

Bill B.




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