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A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: 10 DM Note
From: Alexandre Eremenko
Date: 2007 Mar 9, 14:57 -0500
From: Alexandre Eremenko
Date: 2007 Mar 9, 14:57 -0500
George, You wrote: > I haven't read that biography, and don't know much about Gauss, but > wish to add a note of caution about the word "sextant", where > astronomers are concerned. Indeed, they used an instrument called a > sextant, Sure. For example, Ulugh Bek (sorry I am not sure in the correct English spelling of his name, but I hope it is clear whom I am talking about) in Samarkand used a sextant 40 feet radius:-) I've seen the remains of it when I was a child. But when we are talking about Gauss, it is clear that he used a simple marine sextant (9 inches radius is definitely a portable instrument, and it is clear from the book that Gauss just carried it around, measuring various angles). Alex. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ To post to this group, send email to NavList@fer3.com To , send email to NavList-@fer3.com -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---