Sighting the Sun at midday (when it is highest in the sky) is one of the best methods to determine latitude (of course you must know what day of the year it is too but that was relatively easy to keep track of).
You have to be very careful if you are in the middle of an ocean and on a ship bobbing on the waves to do this properly!
you find a straight angle across ur curtains
You find the arc measure and then you divide it in half to find the inscribed angle
To find an acute angle you need to find out if it is less than 90 degrees.
9o35'
180 - interior angle = exterior angle
nothing
Until GPS, or at least until LORAN, that's exactly how it was always donein the northern hemisphere.Navigators need another method, however, in the southern hemisphere,since the north celestial pole is not visible from there.
The navigational tool to find latitude is a sextant, which uses the angle of the sun or stars above the horizon to determine the observer's position on Earth. This angle corresponds to the observer's latitude.
In the northern hemisphere, we used to rely on locating where Polaris is in the sky, which is almost directly over the North Pole. The angle of Polaris above the horizon corresponds to your latitude so Polaris helped many sea navigators to find their was north or south.
Before compasses were invented, navigators relied on observations of the sun, stars, and landmarks to find their way at sea. They would use celestial navigation techniques, such as determining the position of the North Star, to help guide their ships. Additionally, they would also rely on natural phenomena, like ocean currents and bird migrations, to assist in their navigation.
To determine your latitude in the northern hemisphere using a star, measure the angle between the horizon and the star using a sextant. This angle is called the star's altitude. If you know the star's declination (which is constant), subtract it from 90 degrees minus the star's altitude to find your latitude.
how the navigators and sailors use compass to find direction
how the navigators and sailors use compass to find direction
To find the latitude in the northern hemisphere, you can use a GPS device or online map tools that provide latitude information based on your current location. Additionally, you can determine latitude using a sextant and celestial navigation techniques by measuring the angle of the North Star above the horizon.
You will notice that the angle makes with respect to the horizon. Typically, you will find that the angle will be 90 minus the latitude of the observer.
The Compass
The length of day alone does not provide enough information to determine latitude. The length of day varies with latitude, but other factors such as time of year and location also influence it. To find latitude, you typically need additional information like the altitude of the sun at noon or the angle of the shadows cast by objects.