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I am glad to report my first lunars.
AP: N 40d27.2'  W 86d55.8'
GMT: 4:00 Oct 24, T=58F Pressure 29.75
Observation from my balcony, height 12ft,
Sextant SNO-T, index correction 0.0', inverting scope.
One of the 6 observations was immediately rejected
because it did not follow the pattern of increasing
distances. I reduced with Frank Reed's on-line calculator.
First, each measurement, and then their average.
The third line is the error in the distance, the fourth line
is the error in the longitude:

Moon-Altair:

GMT   4:06:49    4:09:58     4:13:10    4:17:12    4:18:57
DIST  51d22.2'   51d23.3'    51d23.8'   51d24.1'   51d34.3'
ERD       0.0'      +0.5'       +0.3'      -0.2'      -0.4'
ERL      +0.3'     +13.5'       +8.7'      -7.3'     -12.2'

AVERAGE GMT: 4:13:13  AVERAGE DIST: 23.54'
ERROR IN DISTANCE: 0.0' ERROR IN LONG: 0.4'

Moral: DO average:-)
Comments: 1. NOW I finally understand what the
cross-wires in the scope are for.
2. It is SO hard to hold the sextant "handle up" with
your right hand. Some French "reflecting circles" had
two handles, one on each side.

Thanks to Frank for his wonderful site.
Alex.

   

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