NavList:

Hi Celestial navigators, I read some posts where people use electronics in their calculations of celestial navigation . I wonder why, if the philosophy of celestial navigation is to be used when electronics are not available?.

always clear sky,

Germán

Germán
I’m not sure that is the philosophy.  For me, I’d be no good at golf, I’d be no good at bridge, and I’d be no good on a musical instrument, so I’ve got to have something to impress my friends.  It’s also great fun.  There are wonderful opportunities for research, both historical and modern, and it’s a great way of keeping the little grey cells working and remembering all that school maths and physics.  If it was the philosophy, there are electrics and electrics.  Calculators and wrist watches are likely to be still working when built in gear relying on ship’s electrics has gone down or when external radio nav aids are unavailable.  With three hand-held calculators, three cheap digital watches, a sextant, and an inexhaustible supply of AA batteries, you should be able to salvage some sort of a navigation plan although I have to admit, most of the time, I work with two Garmin GPS 12s (two in case I drop one).  Dave