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Subject: Re: from a watcher
From: David Weilacher (daveweilacher@XXX.XXX)
Date: Thu Oct 17 2002 - 23:11:28 EDT
>
> cos(c) = cos(a)*cos(b) +
> sin(a)*sin(b)*cos(ab)
>
Isn't this the flatlanders side-angle-side trig formula.
I had thought there was a 'we live on a ball' complication.
Asking because I truly don't know answer.
As for the sight reduction tables in the back of the nautical almanac. Since
it basically splits the nav triangle into two pieces, you have to make two
passes through the tables to get an answer. Because I tend to blunder at
every other step, I'd much rather carry the standard tables. That cuts my
blunders in half immediately. Besides it takes longer to reduce a sight with
them. The guy is already out on a boat, loving to sail, hating arithmetic,
and soaked to the skin, if I've pictured it right.
Dave Weilacher
.US Coast Guard licensed captain
. #889968
.ASA certified sailing and celestial
. navigation instructor #990800
.IBM AS400 RPG contract programmer
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