Sextant

[SheetWise]

Originally Posted by hoytedow

How did things go with the sextant? Good news I hope.

Hoytedow --

Thanks for your interest. She took it with her over the summer (we live in Phoenix) to Alaska. She stayed in Homer on Kachemak Bay, but she couldn't get a horizon from the bay, so she gave up on the sextant and studied the celestial navigation guides. Since then, I found an artificial horizon that fits -- and she still has interest, so we'll see.

In the big picture, as far as the daughter goes -- beautifully!

[hoytedow]

Yobarnacle started a great tutorial thread on the sextant that should be of great help to her. By the way, did you know Mark775 lives in Homer?

Lost tech of Ancients

[michael pierzga]

Originally Posted by SheetWise

Hoytedow --

Thanks for your interest. She took it with her over the summer (we live in Phoenix) to Alaska. She stayed in Homer on Kachemak Bay, but she couldn't get a horizon from the bay, so she gave up on the sextant and studied the celestial navigation guides. Since then, I found an artificial horizon that fits -- and she still has interest, so we'll see.

In the big picture, as far as the daughter goes -- beautifully!

On shore a good artificial horiozon is an oil filled paint can. Divide the angle by 2 to get sextant altitude . This is how we learned to take elevations as kids.

[SheetWise]

Originally Posted by hoytedow

Yobarnacle started a great tutorial thread on the sextant that should be of great help to her. By the way, did you know Mark775 lives in Homer?

Lost tech of Ancients

Thanks for the links (and links that lead to more links ...) I'll pass it on.

I've seen that Mark775 claims Homer as home. That town started, for us, as a summer destination about 15 years ago, and now half of my family live up there -- including parents, sister, brother, and daughter. The other half just visit for the summers. It's becoming highly likely that I'll be retiring somewhere near there if I ever want to see the kids. I love that town.

[bernd1972]

Go get her a Cassens & Plath with full view horizon mirror when she graduates from naval academy. It´s probably the best celestial instrument currently on the market and will certainly be availeable for decades to come, spare parts included. Tamaya has an artificial horizon (for "dry" training only) that fits all sextants that are based on the old C.Plath designs (which also includes the Astra, Tamaya and Cassens & Plath sextants and the older Russian SMPO)
If you need her current sextants horizon mirror re-silvered check navastro.fr

[SheetWise]

Originally Posted by bernd1972

Go get her a Cassens & Plath with full viel horizon mirror when she graduates from naval academy. It´s probably the best celestial instrument currently on the market and will certainly be availeable for decades to come, spare parts included. Tamaya has an artificial horizon (for "dry" training only) that fits all sextants that are based on the old C.Plath designs (which also includes the Astra, Tamaya and Cassens & Plath sextants and the older Russian SMPO)
If you need her current sextants horizon mirror re-silvered check navastro.fr

Thanks for the info. This is such an obscure topic these days, that I'm certain all comments and suggestions will survive well into the future. Thanks to all contributors.

The thread Hoyedow links to above has evolved into a classroom on celestial navigation, and would be the proper place to continue this discussion.

Thank you all again for your comments.