Here the way for a Artificial Horizon using a 9x13 card pan aka Ford parts pan. Since the sextant measures a angle. The sun reflects off water This gives angle of sun reflection and the sun just devide the angle in haft.
Dave
?????? ? Long way off the internet ? Below?
In a location away from the sea where the horizon is not immediately visible, it is not possible to take Altitudes of celestial bodies with the Sextant in the usual way.
One way to work around this problem is to use an artificial horizon. The artificial horizon can be made with a plate, filled with some liquid. Water will do, but oil is better. A pool can also be used, if there is no wind or waves (the water surface must be completely flat). The purpose of the liquid is to obtain an ideal horizontal (reflecting) surface. The following must be considered for determining the Observed Altitude (Ho) from measurements with the artificial horizon as described above: The index error as well as the sextant reading must be divided by two. The Dip Correction and Semi-Diameter Correction must be set to zero.
davesmith1800
