NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Learn the stars, by phone
From: George Huxtable
Date: 2009 May 18, 23:34 +0100
From: George Huxtable
Date: 2009 May 18, 23:34 +0100
We have been discussing the pointing accuracy of the Celestron Skyscout, as an example of magnetic direction sensing. The following quote comes from the Skyscout FAQs section of the Celestron Skyscope website- " Pointing accuracy and using my SkyScout The SkyScout has a pointing accuracy of 2-3 degrees (a thumbtip at arms length). It is not as accurate a pointing device as an optical finderscope with crosshairs, a pair of binoculars with a reticle ..." That sounds somewhat more likely than the claim Frank made, that- "it can determine where you're pointing in the sky from anywhere on Earth at any date and time ... with an accuracy of about 0.5 degrees." , which he followed up with- "It refers to the SkyScout, which I have tried out myself. That half-degree claim comes from the official specs. It's a believable claim, based on performance, but the exact level of accuracy (whether it's 0.5 or 0.75 or 1.0 degrees) is not critical in any way to the device's use." I have no problem with accepting the limited claim for accuracy as unearthed from the Skyscout website. So what was Frank's source, then? George. contact George Huxtable, at george@hux.me.uk or at +44 1865 820222 (from UK, 01865 820222) or at 1 Sandy Lane, Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxon OX13 5HX, UK. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Navigation List archive: www.fer3.com/arc To post, email NavList@fer3.com To , email NavList-@fer3.com -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---