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A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Thomas Jefferson and Lunar Obs.
From: Frank Reed CT
Date: 2005 Mar 22, 22:04 EST
From: Frank Reed CT
Date: 2005 Mar 22, 22:04 EST
From William Dunbar to Thomas Jefferson in 1804 (Library of Congress web
site):
"I mentioned in my last that one very simple method had occured to
me of ascertaining in certain Circumstances the Longitude of places, which is
much better calculated for travellers by land than Voyagers by Sea; the method
is such that a Single observer with a good altitude instrument, altho' deprived
of the use of a time keeper, may still make useful observations for the
advancement of geographical Knowledge. I shall now just mention the principles
& shall hereafter Send you some examples of the Calculation. The excellence
of the usual lunar method of determining the Longitude depends (supposing her
theory to be perfect) upon her quick change of place from west to east; but it
cannot be denied that it requires great dexterity to make good observations,
which is evident from the disproportion of the times to the distances in the
hands of the best Observers, and this arises from the slow progress of the moon
which Causes the Contact to appear to be continued for many seconds of time;
were this observation similar to a meridian altitude, it might certainly be
taken to any desireable accuracy, that is, were the motion of the moon from
North to South in place of from West to east, the moon's altitude when brought
upon the meridian by the rotation of the earth would furnish an easy & very
Correct mode of ascertaining the Longitude: Now altho' the proper motion of the
moon is from West to East, yet her orbit makes so considerable an angle with the
equinoctical circle, that there are two portions of each lunation when the
moon's change of declination is very rapid, exceeding 6 in 24 hours, that is 5"
of a degree in one minute of time; if therefore under favorable Circumstances we
take the moon's greatest altitude near the meridian, we shall thence be enabled
to ascertain the moon's declination at the moment of her passing our meridian;
we must then find the time at Greenwich when the moon had that declination and
also the time when the moon passed the meridian of Greenwich, from which data
the Longitude is easily found: this method will require the use of some
interpolations and an equation for the Correction of the Moon's altitude on the
Meridian, because her greatest altitude will not be on the meridian, but to the
East or West according as She is increasing or diminishing her North polar
distance. I have communicated this method to my Worthy friend Mr. Briggs who is
pleased with the idea & intends giving it consideration. "
There's lots more including detailed calculations on the LOC web site: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query then
search on "lunar Dunbar".
-FER
42.0N 87.7W, or 41.4N 72.1W.
www.HistoricalAtlas.com/lunars
42.0N 87.7W, or 41.4N 72.1W.
www.HistoricalAtlas.com/lunars