The
Complete On-Board Celestial Navigator
Once the universal system of navigation out of sight of land,
celestial navigation is now more often a backup to electronic navigation
methods, chief among them the Global Positioning System (GPS). However,
among cruising sailors the use of a sextant to locate one's position on
the ocean is still a skill treated with pride and respect. U.S. Power
Squadron courses in celestial navigation remain popular for this reason,
and because it's wise to have a backup method of navigation if your GPS
receiver malfunctions. The Complete On-Board Celestial Navigator
responds to these realities with the ideal package for today's market.
Traditionally, the navigator would learn sight-taking skills from an
instructional book; identify stars or planets for "shooting"
sights using a graphic or tabular star finder; obtain the precise
position in the heaven of the chosen star, planet, moon, or sun at the
time of the shooting from an annual nautical almanac; and
"reduce" the sextant sighting using sight reduction tables.
All these components together add up to an unwielding package.
Celestial
Navigation in a Nutshell by Hewitt Schlereth
From Book News,
Inc.
In this guide, Schlereth draws on his experience as a sailor to
explain how to navigate any stretch of sea using only a hand-held
sextant, a watch, a plotting sheet, and a copy of the Nautical Almanac.
The book offers instruction on how to take sights by the sun, moon,
stars and planets, and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of
each method. Common errors are reviewed, and suggestions given for
improving accuracy. Several examples and situational illustrations are
included. No bibliography.Book News, Inc.®, Portland, OR
Book Description
Learn to plot your own course by looking to the sky.
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