A History of the Navigators Sextant
by Cotter, Charles H.-
pub by Brown Son and Ferguson Ltd, Glasgow, UK, 1983 -         - isbn 0-85174-427-3 - - 226 p. Total      
Notes and References after each chapter - - Acknowledgements p. v - - Authors Forward p. vi - - Index p. 225-226
    Charles H. Cotter, Master Mariner, PhD, Fellow of the Royal Inst. of Navigation, is indeed an expert in the history of navigation and especially the history of all instruments which were used to measure angles in marine navigation.
    The first period of rapid development of angle measuring devices came when European discoveries were beginning and the need for position finding became more serious due to more offshore (ocean crossing) voyages became common.
    I find it interesting that the second period of rapid development at the time when the search for Longitude was on and improved instruments were needed to make Lunar measurements. Measuring the location of the moon in the sky relative to highly visible stars can give the navigator time which is needed to accurately determine Longitude. Lunars were difficult to do, and the system worked, but using Harrisons chronometer was much easier.


~ 2017-10-15 ~



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