NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
From: Robert Eno
Date: 2016 Jul 10, 12:31 -0600
I will wade in here, having taken my fair share of AH observations in polar conditions and in temperatures best not related here lest the more tropical members get a case of the vapours. I agree with Dave. The best method is to raise the AH up on a platform, an sit close to it, in a comfortable position. You will find that this makes the observation of low-altitude bodies so much easier.
Robert
From: NavList@fer3.com [mailto:NavList@fer3.com] On Behalf Of David Pike
Sent: July-10-16 11:19 AM
To: enoid@northwestel.net
Subject: [NavList] Re: Sextant platform for lunars
Not exactly lunars, but Roald Amundsen states towards the end of Ch12 of ‘The South Pole’ that prior to their series of hourly observations at the pole they built two pillars of snow, one to place the artificial horizon on and one to rest the sextant on when not in use. DaveP
Perhaps I should have added that having fiddled around with my artificial horizon last winter (at 53N not 90S) at low angles, e.g. the order of HC = 23°, you really need a raised AH, or you end up either a long way behind the AH, which makes getting everything lined up difficult, or with very cold knees or derriere. DaveP