Astro Compasses

[wolfyii]

Does anyone have any interest in playing with these things? I'm interested in them and was hoping for some general information and what to look for in purchasing and using one. As you may have guessed, I'm kind of a history nut.

[+markcase]

Not totally an education topic. Moving to appropriate forum to get discussion.

 

Mark Case

Education Forum Moderator

[wolfyii]

Not totally an education topic. Moving to appropriate forum to get discussion.

 

Mark Case

Education Forum Moderator

So where did you move it?

[Pup Patrol]

Not totally an education topic. Moving to appropriate forum to get discussion.

 

Mark Case

Education Forum Moderator

So where did you move it?

 

Geocaching Topics

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showforum=6

 

 

B.

[wolfyii]

Not totally an education topic. Moving to appropriate forum to get discussion.

 

Mark Case

Education Forum Moderator

So where did you move it?

 

Geocaching Topics

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showforum=6

 

 

B.

Thank you!

[+K13]

Does anyone have any interest in playing with these things? I'm interested in them and was hoping for some general information and what to look for in purchasing and using one. As you may have guessed, I'm kind of a history nut.

 

I looked at wikipedia to get a little info on what you meant. While as a diversion down the lanes of history may be your enjoyment, I found the following most telling about this device:

GPS and other similar forms of electronic navigation aids mean that the astrocompass is now functionally obsolete anywhere except for areas very close to the poles where GPS coverage is not available and there are no current electronic navigation aids.

 

Operation

The operation is as follows:

 

1. Getting the local time (by means of a clock)
2. Setting the latitude
3. Setting (in the alidade) the star's local hour angle (LHA) for that day obtained by means of tables or a computer program
4. Pointing the compass pinnula to the star (sun or moon)
5. Reading the true course on the limb

 

Too much for me to even try to learn to use, even if I were given one as a gift. Good luck if you have one. It might be fun to watch someone use one, then check their results against my Oregon.