Next message: Nels Tomlinson: "Re: Voyaging the traditional way"
What sort of Cel Nav can you do without sextant?
(Assuming you have an almanac and chronometer.
Or your wristwatch and radio to check it).
Apparently yes. I am not speaking of eclipses
which are rare events. One method was already
discussed: timing the occultations of stars by
the dark edge of the moon, a method slightly
less precise than that of lunar distances because
the distance is too small, and only available
for somewhat less than 1/2 of each month,
when the moon moves with
its dark edge forwardis:-)
Another method was proposed by Bill in our recent
off-the-list conversation: timing the rise and
set of various bodies. Each such timing gives you
one position line. It is interesting, how precise
can this method be. (I understand that the
major obstacle here is refraction).
Alex.
