Pimping hate speech, a big fat fail for the tourism industry, and in the “I’d really rather buy an Edsel too” department…
Latitude 38’s new issue has an interesting article on celestial navigation with an emphasis on lunar sights. Which sorta/kinda got me all sorts of excited.
I’ve got a new skill that I can add to my quiver!
A quick search led me to Starpath who has some great links on the subject as well as the needful Stark Tables to get you sorted out.
These days, with GPS spoofing and wars, celestial seems like a good insurance policy.
Maybe earn a VolksCruiser new skill merit badge in the process…
My plastic Ebbco has a built in error that led to positions being a consistent 15nm out. It took a morning with another person and his ebbco to discover this. Practicing on land before you need it is worthwhile, and its a challenge on getting good fixes on a small boat and compare it to GPS. Never did lunar, star/moon sights, the movement on a small boat was too much.
George Beuhler did a book on simple astro, but have never found a copy. Still got my Mary Blewitt compact hardback from 1964.
I have a copy of George’s little book around here somewhere. Have you checked with his wife who I think is still running his website? She might sell you a copy.
Yachting Monthly has a very good article on sun/noon sights that that should suffice till you get your hands on Buehler’s little booklet.
By the way, George’s quote on his book is dead accurate…
“If you can’t follow this you best give up and buy a ranch in Nebraska.”
I was already up to speed with taking sights before his book came out. For most beginners, his idea of taking out all the fluff and focusing on bare basics is a good way to start; it is sooooo easy to be blinded by too many numbers as a neophyte, I know I was.
Hello Bob,
Wanted to bring this to your attention if you haven’t seen it.
https://youtu.be/2efa3epOGgY?si=aZddM5I7wYG87tLi
Jonathan
Good catch!
Sure would be nice to have a CNC…