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The Use of the Planetarium in Nautical and Field Astronomy Education

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2018

P.A.H. Seymour
P.A.H. Seymour*
Affiliation:
Institute of Marine Studies, Plymouth University, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK

Extract

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The universe of marine navigators and surveyors is basically a geocentric one. All calculations necessary for reducing celestial observations to obtain directional or positional information can be carried out within the pre- Copernican two sphere hypothesis. Some mature students on the degree courses have practical experience of navigation at sea but are not used to more abstract ways of thinking. However, most courses in navigation require students to understand the many corrections that have to be applied in astro-navigation. The planetarium can be used to illustrate the basic concepts of the two sphere hypothesis, although other methods are needed to understand the nautical almanac and the principles used in its calculation.

Type
Section Four
Information
International Astronomical Union Colloquium , Volume 162: New Trends in Astronomy Teaching , 1998 , pp. 157 - 160
Copyright
Copyright © 1996

References

Cotter, C.H., 1978, A History of Nautical Astronomy, Hollis & Center.Google Scholar
Forbes, E.G., 1975, Greenwich Observatory, Vol. I, London, Taylor & Francis.Google Scholar