sextant and the sun

jez33

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30 May 2008
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hi.
im a keen but new sailer and now think i want to get a few basics of navigation..so any way to find out your latitude using a couple of house hold implements looks easy according to this site

http://www.open2.net/sciencetechnologynature/maths/measuring_latitude_and_longitude.html

my question.
it mentions you can get your latitude using the sun or the north star but if for instance you were on the equator the sun at mid day would be directly over head (well atleast on mar 21 n sep 21 ) but the north star would be hovering over the horizon so the problem is this. the sun and the north star would have 2 completely different angles. the above site suggests that both the suns angle and the north stars angle should be the same.…

what have i missed?
 
[ QUOTE ]
what have i missed

[/ QUOTE ] You have mis read it.

In one case (with the sun) they tell you to measure the angle between beam and plumb line in the other (pole star) they tell you to measure the angle between the beam and the horizon (which is 90º to the plumb line)
 
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