Black Sextant & Micrometer 10"

Sextant navigation has existed since the early 1700s, after the sailing powers of Europe demanded greater accuracy for their ships at sea. Used to measure the altitude of a celestial body in relation to the horizon, the brass sextant allowed sailors to triangulate their positions, leading to safer voyages, more accurate maps, and better trade routes. These antique sextants for sale are crafted after a fashion that is practically unchanged since their inception almost three centuries ago. Using a telescope for sighting, a 60 degree arc for measuring the angle, and the innovative half-silvered mirror, sextant navigation revolutionized the Age of Sail. Viewed through the telescope, the half-silvered mirror allows the user to see both the horizon and the celestial body being used to calculate position simultaneously. A separate mirror reflects the sun, or other body, onto the half mirror facing the telescope, while the horizon straight ahead is visible through the clear half. When the sun just touches the horizon in the viewing mirror, adjusted by moving the swing arm along the 60 degree arc, the angle is found. By setting the thumbscrew the user can view the correct angle found between sun and horizon, and use this for triangulation. With sextant navigation sailing took another step into modernity, as the nautical sextant is still in use today.