NavList:

If you're in the northern hemisphere, why not shoot a lunar distance angle from the Moon to the North Star? For determining UT, it would be relatively ineffective especially when the Moon is near max or min declination, but there's nothing wrong with such a lunar as a test of the method or a test of your sextant. It's easy to estimate the lunar distance in advance since it's nearly equal to the co-dec of the Moon. If the Moon's dec is near +24°, then the LD will be approximately 90-24 or 66°.

Predicted lunar distances for other stars are now included in my web app: Here are the lunars you could shoot from the a site at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis today: Lunars, Annapolis, Nav Stars, 4 Dec. You'll also note that the app now includes all its parameters in the URL so that you can save and post scenarios like this one.

After you shoot your Polaris lunar, you can clear it: Polaris Lunar, 4 Dec, 0503 UT, Annapolis.

Reminder: Online Office Hours in a little less than one hour (1700 UT). Today, along with the usual free-ranging conversation, I'll be talking for 5-10 minutes about recent enhancements to my web apps (like Polaris lunars).

Frank Reed