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A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: reason for using the term sextant shot?
From: John Brenneise
Date: 1999 Jan 06, 15:13 EST
From: John Brenneise
Date: 1999 Jan 06, 15:13 EST
I suspect that the reason is that, when you're taking a "shot" with a rifle, to aim the rifle, you line up the "bead" on the end of the rifle with the notch in the slot which is closer to the stock. Geometrically speaking, lining up a celestial object with the horizon when using a sextant is a similar activity. John > ---------- > From: Rick Emerson[SMTP:rick@XXX.XXX] > Reply To: Rick Emerson > Sent: Wednesday, January 06, 1999 5:06 AM > To: Russell Sher > Cc: 'navigation@XXX.XXX' > Subject: [Nml] reason for using the term sextant "shot"? > > Russell Sher writes: > > Hi - some time ago I came across the reason for the term "shot" as > in "noon > > shot" etc. - Does anyone know ? I believe that it is because the > early > > navigation tools eg. cross staff resembled a bow. Does anyone know > more on > > this? > > Well, let me take a shot at answering this... [wink] Seriously, I > suspect the term's origin is as simple as using "shot" as an alternate > word for "having a go". Also, "shot" and "sight" aren't too far apart > as to how they sound. Either that or it's mnemonic (memory aid) for > the items you need to collect to get a sun line... > Sun > Horizon > Offset > Time > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Just kidding, folks! > > Rick > S/V One With The Wind, Baba 35 > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-= > =-= TO UNSUBSCRIBE, send this message to majordomo@XXX.XXX: > =-= > =-= navigation > =-= > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-= > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-= =-= TO UNSUBSCRIBE, send this message to majordomo@XXX.XXX: =-= =-= navigation =-= =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=
