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A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: The expression "terrestrial navigation"
From: Lars Bergman
Date: 2017 Feb 17, 13:19 -0800
From: Lars Bergman
Date: 2017 Feb 17, 13:19 -0800
Frank, I believe that the expression terrestrial navigation is at least a hundred years old, possibly older than that. At least in Sweden. My view is that it is much more than piloting. It is all kinds of navigation based on terrestrial objects, opposite to celestial navigation which is based on celestial objects. Terrestrial navigation can very well include ocean voyaging, where positions well offshore were determined by for example Omega or Loran. Or to cross the Atlantic by use of a magnet compass and dead reckoning. Whether satellite navigation is celestial or terrestrial I cannot say for sure, I would probably class it as terrestrial if I was forced to decide.
Lars, 59N 18E
