NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Best wavelengths for sun observation.
From: Bill Lionheart
Date: 2022 Dec 4, 10:57 +0000
From: Bill Lionheart
Date: 2022 Dec 4, 10:57 +0000
Detector technology is improving all the time and the sun emits a broad spectrum of EM. What is the best range of wavelengths for measuring the sun's altitude if not restricted to visible light?
We have discussed infrared automated sextants before eg http://fer3.com/arc/m2.aspx/Infrared-sextant-Dolkas-aug-2014-g28431#
but I wanted to revisit this in case technological improvements made a difference. IR is claimed to be good for seeing through cloud cover. But one cannot go too long a wavelength presumably without compromising the optics?
On the other hand refraction depends on wavelength. if we measured at multiple bands of wavelength does this help? Is there a wavelength that improves low altitude observation?
Non star celestial only reflect part of the spectrum I assume. Same question?
And would a hyperspectral camera aid identification of stars in a way useful for automated celestial navigation?
Hope you enjoy my musings and I look forward to you sharing your knowledge.
Bill Lionheart.
