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A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
From: Antoine Couëtte
Date: 2016 Sep 18, 12:16 -0700
Dear Paul,
In your post you wrote about the 30 AUG 1855 Fomalhaut-Lunar that: " The solution from my program is 05:41:51, 11 seconds before the correct time. I'm satisfied with that accuracy. "
Well ... it is interesting to notice that in this specific environment, the Sextant Distances change at a rate of +40.861"/minute of time while the geocentric distances change at a rate of +33.561"/minute of time.
In other words, the Refraction effects here INCREASE the separation velocity of the Moon and Fomalhaut.
Were it not for the Refraction uncertainties affecting the Moon at such a low altitude, I would trust this Fomalhaut Lunar [much] more than its 07 Sep 1855 Sun-Lunar counterpart.
"Classical Methods" do not not yield any information on the actual/observed (i.e. affected by Refraction) Sextant Distances Fomalhaut-Moon and Sun-Moon [topocentric] closure rates: see post g36570.
Best Friendly Lunarian Regards,
Kermit
