10.27.2010

The sextant


Hello to everybody! The object in the image is a sextant. A sextant is an instrument used to measure the angle between two objects. It is used in navigation in order to get the exact position, longitude and latitude:
1) Can anyone tell me who was the inventor?
2) Is this instrument similar to the Astrolabium?
3) What is the actual instrument to locate something over the Earth surface?

8 comments:

  1. 1) No, but the first description said Alonso de Chaves
    2) Yes, morless because the Astrolabium indicate the longitud (or latitud, I forgot this information)
    3) I think that this question is very easy, the GPS?

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  2. Great Rafa! As always your answers are so good. I'll have to think harder activities ;)

    PD. The number one is almost right but it has another answer ;;)

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  3. Thomas Godfrey was the inventor of the 'sextante'

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  4. In the questions 2 and 3, I agree with Rafa, but in the question 1, I think that can be Thomas Godfrey.

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  5. In the question 2 , the astrolabium is very similar to the sextant and the question 3 I agree with Rafa and Ana , is the GPS =) PD : In the question 3 , the answer is Thomas Godfrey , since he has said Javi

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  6. About question 1 I think the invertors were Thomas Godfrey and John Hadley.
    About question 2 I think they are very similar.Both were used in navigation but the astrolabium was older.
    In the question 3 I agree with my peartners.

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  7. Question 1: I think the invertor was John Bird at the resquest of John Campbel in 1757.
    Question 2: I think they were very similar, but the astrolabium was older.
    Question 3: Today, people use G.P.S with satellite navigation.

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  8. - First question: the inventors were John Hadley, an English mathematician, and Thomas Godfrey, a glazier in Philadelphia.
    - Second question: The sextant replaced the astrolabe as having greater precision.
    - Third question: the GPS (Global Positioning System

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