Isaac Newton (1643-1727) was the first to invent the principle of double reflection on which this navigation instrument is based, however he never published it. Two more researchers, working separately, developed the octant around 1730: John Hadley (1682-1744), an English mathematician, and Thomas Godfrey (1704-1749), a Philadelphia glassmaker.
The sextant is an instrument that allows you to make measurements on celestial objects in relation to the horizon, which provides excellent results when finding the latitude of the ship. The sextant allows direct observation of the stars so its use is possible 24 hours a day. For solar observations, the sextant is equipped with filters that protect the view from its radiation.
The horizon and celestial object always remain stable, even when the user is on a moving ship. This happens because the sextant sees the horizon directly, and sees celestial objects through two opposite mirrors that cushion possible movements of the sextant due to the movements of the ship caused by the waves.
The scale of a sextant has a length of one-sixth of a full circle (60°); hence the name of the sextant. If the scale is one eighth then the instrument is called an Octant.
A small brochure is also sent with the history and principles of its operation as well as indicating where on the INTERNET to learn how to use it.
MEASURES
LITTLE
Height: 13.4 cm
Width: 12.5cm
BIG
Height: 21.5 cm
Width: 20cm
