Next message: Courtney Thomas: "Re: suggestion for a satisfactory celnav narrative"
Courtney -- I have been trying something like this (I think) at:
http://jimthompson.net/boating/CelestialNav/CelestNotes/IntroCN.htm
If any of that is useful to your project, then let me know.
Jim Thompson
jim3 at jimthompson dot net
www.jimthompson.net
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: Courtney Thomas
> As one who has struggled with a plethora of publications that purport to
> convey the celnav gospel, I'd like to suggest a group project of
> composing a "minimal" narrative of the essentials of celestial
> navigation that would at least do the following, though additions are
> welcomed as the group sees fit, of course, as I'm sure I'm not even
> sufficiently proficient to provide a satisfactory outline, and therefore
> only hope to induce the competent to collaborate:
>
> Also assuming Godelian proficiency unnecessary :-) and hoping an
> included bibliography will gratify those whose requirements are
> unsatisfied by the final group consensus, as well as those merely more
> curious, I submit the following as starting suggestions:
>
> 1-a summary narrative - to fully setout a statement of the problem and
> it's currently regarded state of the art solution, omitting all math and
> drawings. This might, for example, omit considerations such as sextants
> and their use, historical considerations, etc., i.e. adhere only to a
> conceptual basis, ignoring the procedural, hence avoiding the conflation
> and inflation of other authors.
>
> 2-definitions - only that necessary to familiarize a novice
> with the terminology
>
> 3-math & science axioms & drawings - the plane geometry, trigonometry,
> astronomy, physics, etc. deemed indispensible, with a suitable
> bibliography
>
> 4-a summary outline - sort of a table of contents writ large, setting
> out a celnav process
>
> 5-for each section in #4, a brief narrative of motivation to textually
> succeed each topic - [To maintain reader clarity, for example, for a
> section on, say, the intercept method, to describe HOW it fits into the
> overall scheme and WHY it is valid.]
>
> 6-a summary with example(s) - a final assembly... embodying the initial
> summary, described in #1, but utilizing the actual nuts&bolts contained
> in #s 2 & 3, with nothing more included
>
> [Goal Statement: to layout a minimal, though complete, celnav procedure
> for a novice without omitting unity, while avoiding concision that
> leaves confusion and wonderment.]
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Please leave me out of any debate on the desirability and feasibility.
> If you think it undesirable or infeasible, ignore this suggestion, else
> I thank you for your contribution to it's realization, as will all those
> who follow.
>
> Courtney Thomas
>
>
