NavList:

I'll be doing a 90-minute presentation for the "Amateur Astronomers Association of Princeton" on January 8 starting at 7:30pm, Peyton Hall, Princeton University. The talk is open to the public. 

Celestial Navigation: History and Future 
Before GPS and radio-based navigation aids, mariners crossed the oceans by observing the Sun, the Moon, and the stars and planets. Celestial navigation or "nautical astronomy" was a science practiced by ordinary men and women. Anyone could learn to find latitude and longitude using the Sun and stars, and anyone can learn how today, by applying just a little math to observations made with an optical instrument known as a sextant. In this presentation, Frank Reed will describe some of the science underlying celestial navigation, as well as some of the history. We'll also consider how this ancient science remains relevant in modern contexts, even on the surfaces of other planets, like Mars.

Just the usual stuff. Nothing surprising for NavList members. But if anyone is in the area, do stop by!

Frank Reed