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It is fairly simple to use, but doing something with the results are very complex. The mirrors are designed to allow you to measure the angle between a star or planet and the horizon. Basically looking through the eye piece at the body in question and adjusting the arms with a sort of rocking motion so that the body appears to touch the horizon will allow you to read the angle. This also has to be done with an exact time reference. The time factors into the complex series of calculations that allow you to determine where to draw a line on your map or chart.
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What else can I help you with?
What instrument used for calculating longitude at sea?
Historically, latitude was always measured with the sextant, and longitude with the chronograph (clock). Nowadays, it's all GPS. ------------------- The "sextant", from the latin word for "six", is one-sixth of a circle, and is the primary tool used in celestial navigation. However, before the sextant came into widespread use, the "quadrant" of a quarter-circle and the later "octant", an eighth of a circle, were used.
Who discovered the sextant?
The sextant was developed in the 18th century, building on earlier navigational instruments. While no single person is credited with its invention, important contributions were made by John Hadley and Thomas Godfrey, who independently created the reflecting octant in the 1730s, which laid the groundwork for the sextant. The sextant itself was later refined and became a crucial tool for navigation at sea.
What tool is used to determine the place of star?
Sextant.
Is the sextant still used today?
Yes, but not as much as it used to. The nice thing (for a sailor) about having a sextant and knowing how to use it is that it requires no electrical power, and will continue to work even if massive solar storms destroy all the GPS satellites.
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.
What is the sextant used for?
you use a sextant to navigate.
How do you use the word sextant in a sentence?
the sextant helped me navagate my way to alaska
Did Columbus use a sextant?
Yes Christopher Columbus did use a sextant along with a compass, ampoletta, and a cross staff.
What was weapon Lewis and Clark use the most?
the sextant
What tools did he use on his journey?
He used a compass and a sextant on his expedition. :)
How to find the longitude with reference to the prime meridian?
Use a sextant
How do you use sextant in a sentence?
A sextant is a navigational instrument that sights upon the stars to determine a ship's position. This instrument was crucial to naval navigation until global positioning became a reality in the late 20th century. "Henry the Navigator prized his sextant while on his journeys to the New World." "The ship's position is determined by the use of the ship's navigator using a sextant."
What can you find out about sextant?
you can find sextant on history.com
What piece of technology did the sailors use when they sailed across the Atlantic ocean?
Sextant
How do you draw a sextant?
you draw a sextant by looking at googler in the images.
What navigational tools did Verrazzano use on his voyages?
he was and italian navigator what do they use for exploring
How do you use a false horizon with a sextant?
To use a false horizon with a sextant, you would need to create an artificial horizon with a still reflecting surface, such as oil in a pan or a small pool of water. You would then line up the celestial body you are measuring with its reflection on the artificial horizon, allowing you to take an accurate sextant reading. This method is useful when the true horizon is obscured or not visible.
