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A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Suitable Sextants - Mirrors
From: Bill B
Date: 2005 Oct 12, 20:53 -0500
From: Bill B
Date: 2005 Oct 12, 20:53 -0500
> Your analysis though interesting, fails to take into account that a sextant's > mirrors are not used in a static state, and hence size does make a difference. > Consider that the platform is moving directionally, and rolling and pitching > all at the same time. There also is motion introduced by the user when he > rocks his arm to align for perpendicularity. BTW, my empahsis was on the > horizon. Joel I have no argument with your position on the practical advantages of larger mirrors and fully agree with you on that subject. I have read many opinions about larger mirrors collecting more light, and that is what does not pass my common sense test on a theoretical (not practical) level. Sorry if I was not clear about that. Bill
