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Sailors use sextants to measure the angle between a celestial body, such as the sun or a star, and the horizon. By knowing the time of day and comparing this angle with the celestial body's known position in the sky, sailors can determine their latitude and longitude, assisting with navigation at sea.

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1y ago

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Do people use sextants today?

Sextants are still available, and are a practical low-tech backup for when a boat's GPS and other electronics stop functioning. So if you're a ship's captain, or even just a serious hobbyist, it's well worth it to take the time to learn how to operate one.


Do you still use the sextant?

Sextants are still used today, primarily for celestial navigation at sea. They are relied upon by sailors, especially in emergency situations, where other navigation equipment may fail. While modern technology has largely replaced traditional navigation tools, the sextant remains a valuable backup instrument.


What did Sir Robert Falcon Scott use to navigate?

Navigation technologies in the age of Heroic Exploration included sextants, theodolites and other celestial navigation tools.


What instrument could sailors use to determine their location based on the position of the sun in relation to the horizon?

Sailors could use a sextant to measure the angle between the sun and the horizon. By comparing this angle with known tables, they can determine their latitude at sea.


How do sextant change the world?

Sextants revolutionized navigation by allowing sailors to accurately determine their position at sea using the sun and stars. This technology made it possible for ships to navigate more safely and precisely over vast distances, leading to the exploration and discovery of new lands. The sextant played a crucial role in expanding trade, colonization, and globalization in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Related Questions

Do people use sextants today?

Sextants are still available, and are a practical low-tech backup for when a boat's GPS and other electronics stop functioning. So if you're a ship's captain, or even just a serious hobbyist, it's well worth it to take the time to learn how to operate one.


What devices where responsible for helping sailors navigate the ocean?

There are quite a few devices that have made sea exploration as you know it possible. Submarines are one of these devices.


Do you still use the sextant?

Sextants are still used today, primarily for celestial navigation at sea. They are relied upon by sailors, especially in emergency situations, where other navigation equipment may fail. While modern technology has largely replaced traditional navigation tools, the sextant remains a valuable backup instrument.


What handy tool did sailors use to help them navigate?

What points did sailors use to navigate


Why do pirates use spyglasses?

The same what sailors use as telescopes. The words are the same (Within reason). Sailors are not pirates.


How navigators and sailors use magnetic compass in preparing route maps?

how the navigators and sailors use compass to find direction


How do sailors use flags?

they use them to give signals


What did sailors use for tattooing?

fish


What do sailors use turtles for?

food, mostly.


What type of map sailors and pilots use?

The type of map used by sailors is known as a chart. A pilot would use an aerial map or chart.


How can a explorer tell when he is at the north pole?

Nowadays it is easy because of GPS, but in the olden days they had to use real navigation techniques with sextants and magnetic variation charts.


What did Sir Robert Falcon Scott use to navigate?

Navigation technologies in the age of Heroic Exploration included sextants, theodolites and other celestial navigation tools.