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Which year did navigators start using astrolabe?

Navigators began using the astrolabe for navigation in the early 15th century. It was a key tool for determining latitude by measuring the angle between the horizon and the stars.


What is something that gave the location of a ship by measuring the ositions of the sun and stars?

Celestial navigation is a method used to determine a ship's position by observing the positions of the sun, moon, stars, and planets. This technique involves measuring the angle between the horizon and a celestial body to calculate the ship's latitude and longitude.


Why is light from stars and planets considered to be parallel light?

Light from stars and planets is considered parallel because the sources are at vast distances from Earth compared to their size, resulting in light rays arriving nearly parallel to each other when observed from Earth. This is due to the large distance between Earth and the celestial bodies, making the rays of light effectively parallel by the time they reach us.


Used to to take bearings from the sun or stars to plot the ships position on a map?

Navigational instrument or tool such as a sextant or astrolabe is used to measure the angle between a celestial body (sun or stars) and the horizon. This information helps determine the ship's position on a map by calculating latitude and longitude coordinates.


How could the altitude and azimuth be important?

There are a number of ways to describe locations or positions. One of these is to describe the direction toward an object in degrees; this is the "azimuth". For objects in the sky, we must also know the angular elevation above the horizon, or "altitude angle". This is usually shortened to "altitude". By specifying the azimuth angle and altitude angle, we can describe precisely the direction of any object in the sky.

Related Questions

What do you use to measure the angle of a star?

The device that astronomers use to find the angle between the horizon and stars in the sky is called a sextant.


What is the navigational tool to find latitude?

The navigational tool to find latitude is a sextant, which uses the angle of the sun or stars above the horizon to determine the observer's position on Earth. This angle corresponds to the observer's latitude.


Why stars appear slightly above the horizon?

the sun is at sunset that way so the horizon is a bit dark


Which year did navigators start using astrolabe?

Navigators began using the astrolabe for navigation in the early 15th century. It was a key tool for determining latitude by measuring the angle between the horizon and the stars.


Why must astrolabes be level in science?

When navigating by the stars, or measuring an angle, there has to be a reference point. Oftentimes, we assume that a measurement is referenced to a particular point. (For example, a compass gives degrees in reference to magnetic north, not true north.) However, the use of a reference point is very important. In celestial navigation, the height, or angle, of certain stars and constellations is measured in reference to the horizon. Basically, you take the angle your astrolabe/sextant/stadimeter, whatever, and measure the angle from the horizon to the star. This forms a rough triangle with vertices at your location, the point of the Earth beneath the star, and the star itself. Obviously this is not terribly accurate, so you need to figure in a calculation taking into account the curvature of the Earth, and the expected position of the star. By using the correction and Nautical Almanac, you can create an ellipse that your ship must lie on if it is on the Earth's surface. Take measurements from two or more stars and find where they intersect--that's roughly (+-50mi or so) your position. The importance of shooting the horizon (i.e. being level) is apparent in the definition of Nautical Twilight--the level of light where you can use both the horizon and major stars as reference points.


Why dont stars get sucked into black holes?

Stars do get sucked into a black hole if they pass the event horizon.


What direction does Orion's stars go?

In the "Southern Horizon" in every direction.


What is something that gave the location of a ship by measuring the ositions of the sun and stars?

Celestial navigation is a method used to determine a ship's position by observing the positions of the sun, moon, stars, and planets. This technique involves measuring the angle between the horizon and a celestial body to calculate the ship's latitude and longitude.


Why is light from stars and planets considered to be parallel light?

Light from stars and planets is considered parallel because the sources are at vast distances from Earth compared to their size, resulting in light rays arriving nearly parallel to each other when observed from Earth. This is due to the large distance between Earth and the celestial bodies, making the rays of light effectively parallel by the time they reach us.


Used to to take bearings from the sun or stars to plot the ships position on a map?

Navigational instrument or tool such as a sextant or astrolabe is used to measure the angle between a celestial body (sun or stars) and the horizon. This information helps determine the ship's position on a map by calculating latitude and longitude coordinates.


Is it normal to view a large bright star from the same angle regardless of how many times a person changes location on the ground?

Yes. The stars are so distance that changing your location on earth will have a negligible effect on the angle at which you view it.


How do available stars differ from other stars in the sky?

The available ones are above the horizon in a dark sky. The other ones are unavailable.