Monday, April 07, 2008

Angle of the sun

4 comments:

Aggie said...

Coyote, you are a genius. I'd like to make a paper cut-out of this one.

coyote said...

Good thought! Poster-sized. That would be very cool...

Woodsy said...

Is it true, or is it myth that he is holding the instrument in hand upside down?

coyote said...

Good catch, Woodsy! Mr. Champlain would have been very lost indeed, if he used it that way. At least more lost than he already was. He wouldn't be able to use it to find an accurate latitude unless it was quite level with the horizon.

This astrolabe instruction manual explains that ...to make an observation with an astrolabe you need to hold it with the ring at the top to ensure it hangs down straight...