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  Thanks for that document, it made interesting reading. I noticed that 
the σ of all the data was 1.53, almost exactly the same as mine which 
was 1.433. ( I omitted the moonlight observations and the naked eye 
sunrise observations from my σ since those were not normal types of sights.)

gl

On 9/23/2010 8:15 AM, George Huxtable wrote:
> John Brown offereed this following useful comment, about Gary's recent
> posting.
>
> Subject: [NavList] Re: Accuracy of sextant observations at sea
>
>
> These seem to be very good results.  My 1963 edition of Burton's Tables has
> this to say in the first paragraph of the Notes:
>
> "An extensive investigation into the degree of accuracy normally obtained
> in the practice of astronomical position-finding at sea has indicated that
> the average inaccuracy in a position line produced by the average observer
> is 0'.7, and that one in twenty such position lines may be as much as 3'.0
> in error."
>
> ======================
>
> I saw that Burton's tables offers this footnote, about that comment.-
>
> See "The accuracy of Astronomical Observations at Sea", Journal of the
> Institute of Navigation, vol X, No 3, July 1957.
>
> It's the report of a working party, chaired by Don Sabler, who headed the
> Almanac Office. They sent out thousands of questionnaires to navigators,
> and analysed the answers that came back.
>
> It adds up to 26 pages, but only 1.4 MB in a .pdf file. If you find it of
> interest, here it is, attached..
>
> George
>
> contact George Huxtable, at  george{at}hux.me.uk
>   or at +44 1865 820222 (from UK, 01865 820222)
> or at 1 Sandy Lane, Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxon OX13 5HX, UK.

   

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