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    Re: Ode to Celestial Navigation
    From: Mark Coady
    Date: 2017 Aug 11, 22:14 -0700

    Thank You, Bob

    Indeed lunars are a complex subject to write a poem.....

    I may indeed attempt it.  Indeed...time..clocks.... logs,  umpteen corner cosine methods..... the range of degrees and altitudes for accurate sights without futzing...   lamenting the clouds on the few days lunars are perfect....... mmmmm I still haven't decided which methods I like best.  

    A dubious use for my precious class notes from my Lunar's course with Frank at the Seaport.  I found that class most rewarding.  I had started on my own with direct calculator solution , then actually tried the Stark tables before that course.  They do indeed work, but compared to some other methods I learned since...they made me Stark raving.....well you get the idea....  

    Well taught, I now find Lunars no worse than normal sights (other than holding various sextants at odd angles in funky positions).  Not the intimidating holy grail I expected from reading several authors..........I guess dwelling on the dark days of longhand log tables...

    I wrote ode looking back at class notes as well.  I love the hostorical background information. It puts a human face on the mathamatical wizardry.

    I will say I find lunars a marvelous tool for practice without needing a horizon. Oddly, I also I also have learned (sitting on the balcony at Trader Vic's, Block Island) that Lunar accuracy is degraded slighty after drink #3. For some reason that causes "earth wobble", which is well known problem hampering sight accuracy. 

    Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the inspiration.

       
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