Marine Sextant: Nav 4: Celestial Navigation

MARINE
SEXTANT
NAV 4 : CELESTIAL NAVIGATION
A BRIEF DISCUSSION By MARTIN DALE YOGORE
THE MARINE SEXTANT
A marine sextant is nothing more than a
device designed to measure the angle
between two objects with a great deal of
precision.
THE MARINE SEXTANT
In celestial navigation, these two objects
are:
• a celestial body (star, sun, moon, or planet)
• the visible horizon
PARTS OF THE SEXTANT
Small Mirror Regulation Screw
The small mirror regulation screw is used to adjust
the horizon mirror.
Frame
The frame provides the structure for the other parts of
the sextant.
Release Levers
The release levers disengage the index arm, which holds the
sextant in place, from the arc scale, allowing the index arm to
move freely.
Filter
The filter is a colored transparent strip that protect the user's
eyes from the sun in a similar manner to sunglasses.
Telescope
The telescope directs the user's eyes to the horizon glass and
magnifies the objects under observation.
Horizon Glass
The horizon glass allows the user to look at one object directly on
one side and observe a second object reflected next to it. One half
of the horizon glass is silvered to convert the glass portion into a
mirror, while the other side is clear glass.
Vernier Scale
The Vernier scale is attached to the index arm, next to the
micrometer drum and indicates tenths of a degree of an angle.
Micrometer Drum
The micrometer drum is attached to the lower end of the
index arm and rotated to make fine adjustments when
measuring angles, and indicates minutes of a degree of angle.
PRINCIPLE OF SEXTANT:
The sextant relies on the optical principle
that if a ray of light is reflected from two
mirrors in succession then the angle
between the first and last direction of the
ray is twice the angle between the mirrors.
To use the sextant the telescope must be focused on
the horizon. The celestial body to be shot, found and
the sextant aimed at it. Bring the body down to the
horizon by moving the arm along the arc and then
clamp the arm. Using the micrometer knob make
small adjustments while gently swaying the
instrument slightly from side to side until the
heavenly body just brushes the horizon.
SEXTANT GRADUATIONS
The normal graduations of the arc, to the
left of zero, extending from 0 to 130
degrees are referred to as ON the arc. To
the right of 0 degrees, the graduations
extend for few degrees and are referred to
as OFF the arc.
SEXTANT GRADUATIONS
ERRORS OF THE SEXTANT
Sextants can’t be manufactured totally
error-free.
There are two classifications of sextant
errors namely, non-adjustable and
adjustable errors.
NON-ADJUSTABLE ERRORS
Graduation Error
-Due to the inaccurate graduation of the main scale on the arc or of the
micrometre/vernier
Centering Error
-Caused if the pivot of the index bar is not situated at the geometric
centre of the arc. This can be caused due to a manufacturing defect or due
to careless handling.
Prismatic Error
-caused by the ground surfaces of the filters or the mirrors not being
mutually parallel
ADJUSTABLE ERRORS
Perpedicularity Error
This is caused when the index glass is not perpendicular to
the plane of the instrument. To check for this, clamp the index
bar about the middle of the arc, and holding the sextant
horizontally, with the arc away from you, look obliquely into
the index mirror till the arc of the sextant and its reflection on
the index mirror are seem simultaneous. If in alignment, the
error does not exist. If not, turn the adjustment screw at the
back of the index glass, until they are aligned
ADJUSTABLE ERRORS
 Side Error
 This is caused by the horizon glass not being perpendicular to the plane of the
instrument. Clamp the index bar at 0 degree 0.0’. Hold the sextant vertically
and look at the heavenly body. Turn the micrometer one way and then the
other, while looking at the body. The reflected image of the body will move
above and below the direct image and should pass exactly over it. If the
reflected image passes to the left or right of the direct image, side error exists.
This error can be removed by turning the second adjustment screw (the top
screw behind the horizon glass) until the true and reflected horizons appear in
the same line.
ADJUSTABLE ERRORS
Collimation Error
This is due to the axis of the telescope not being
parallel to the plane of the instrument. The
telescope is attached to the sextant in such a
manner that it cannot tilt. These modern
sextants are therefore not provided with any
collimating screws
ADJUSTABLE ERRORS
Index Error
This is caused if the index mirror and the horizon glass
are not exactly parallel to each other when the index is
set at 0 degree 0.0’. Basically, this is the difference
between the optical zero of the sextant and its graduated
zero, termed OFF the arc if the optical zero lies to the
right of the graduated zero and termed ON the arc if the
optical zero lies to the left of the graduated zero
END

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