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Re: Moon sight?
From: Bill B
Date: 2014 Oct 05, 04:36 -0400
From: Bill B
Date: 2014 Oct 05, 04:36 -0400
On 10/5/2014 12:31 AM, Sean C wrote: > I got the formulas from the Nautical Almanac. Starting on page 277 (of > the 2013 ed.) is an explanation of how to do sight reduction by > calculator. The 7.32 & 4.32 are constants but, to be honest, I don't > really understand them either. I may be way off base here, but those constants ring a bell. I somehow relate them to the Bowditch formula used for the table determining distance from an object of known height whose base is hidden below the horizon. Probably too senile to be bet your life on it, but I recall they have to do with forms of refraction. Find the tables and then the math behind them in Bowditch, and you may have your answer. I apologize as I do not now have access now to my notes on the topic, but it strikes me Frank and I had a discussion on this subject, and found the Bowditch constants a bit too large. A long shot memory wise, but there was also a discussion on the above Bowditch formula, and it was determined there was and editorial blunder. Along the line of something under the square root sign that did not belong there or vice versa. Sorry for being vague, but I hope it is a valid starting point. I'm sure Frank can recount it verbatim should he choose ;-)
