NavList:

All,

I am just now beginning to look into this method of sight reduction. (Work and home life have kept me from them until now.) I must say, at first I was reluctant to learn a 'new' method, no matter how simple. Especially one that required two different sources for altitude and azimuth. (The haversine calculations and Hanno's diagram.) But, after re-reading all of the posts on the topic, I saw the haversine azimuth formula mentioned in a couple of posts. At first glance, it all seems simple enough. Even the azimuth rules appear identical to the rules for pub. 229, which I have already memorized. If this method were indeed adopted by HMNAO, my only wish is that the azimuth formula would be included. No offense to Hanno, I haven't even tried the diagram yet. But it seems to me that using it in a format like the N.A. would require lots of drawing (and erasing) on the page, perhaps affecting the diagram itself. (Not to mention my slightly obsessive aversion to writing and/or drawing directly in any of the books I own.* Emergencies notwithstanding.) I suppose one could just use the corners of a sheet of paper, or any other handy right angled object to acomplish the task, but as I said, I haven't tried yet.

Speaking of the concise S.R. tables though, aren't they actually one of only two contributions made to the N.A. by the Nautical Alamanac Office of the USNO? My almanacs state that: "Copyright for The Nautical Almanac is held by the U.K. Hydrographic Office..." and "The following U.S. government work is excepted from the above notice [...] pages 6 and 7 [solar eclipse diagrams], and pages 286-315. [the main concise S.R. tables]" So, perhaps the Hav-Doniol method should be submitted to the USNO, who may then submit the idea to HMNAO? I don't know. Thoughts, anyone?

*I know, I'm weird. :)

Sincerely,

Sean C.

PS

If the N.A. route does not pan out, you can add my vote for "Hav-Doniol, Will Travel". That phrase also popped into my head as I was searching through the posts about it here.