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Robert replied:

> I will likely be crucified for saying so, but I find that a little side
> error is a good thing for determining IC using a dim star. It is much easier
> to judge when the two images are side by side rather than superimposed.
> Perhaps if you try calculating your IC in this manner -- that is, with a
> slight bit of side error in your sextant -- your results will improve.

Oh sure, until Alex looks through your instrument and informs you you have
side error.  I recall someone like own FER mentioning something similar.  Of
course I will not state that someone like FER stated that or recommended
that, as that might be construed as an endorsement. 
>
> The late Frank Janicek, who was a well-known and well-respected Baltimore
> instrument repair man and navigator himself, told me this years ago when I
> was fretting about how side error kept mysteriously creeping in and out of
> my sextant. I took his advice and have never looked back.

We fret here in West Lafayette.  There is little else to do for an
able-bodied seaman when not on the Wabash River carp fishing with dynamite.
Seriously, once I nulled out side error somewhere between day and night
focus and it settled in (biased towards night), I took up the Ronco
infomercial slogan, "Set it and forget it."  (Adjusting side error also
affects IE on the Astra, and I was spending more time tweaking the sextant
once I started than I was doing observations).  As luck would have it that
is perfect for natural horizons.

Bill


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