Venus for navigation

[Snowgoose-1]

Any old hands used Venus for navigation in the past ?

 

[Bobc]

Did once for a channel crossing when all the instuments went down on a mate's boat, and with it being steel, it didn't have a magnetic steering compass.

 

[capnsensible]

Any old hands used Venus for navigation in the past ?

Yeah. It's so bright it's an easy target.

Occasionally one horizon lit up by a big moon, got two position lines. Venus and moon lower limb.

Would imagine the pros on here know more though.

 

[johnalison]

Oh. I thought this was going to be about Portsmouth.

 

[Snowgoose-1]

Yeah. It's so bright it's an easy target.

Occasionally one horizon lit up by a big moon, got two position lines. Venus and moon lower limb.

Would imagine the pros on here know more though.

Yes. In the lightness hit parade it is number three after the sun and moon. Got to be handy somehow or other

 

[DownWest]

On the odd occasion that I had no choice, used the pole star.

 

[[194224]]

Of the navigational planets it's the brightest of course but other than that it has nothing to set it apart from the other three in terms of its use for navigation.

 

[Davy_S]

Its quite distinguishable when its wearing Blue jeans.

 

[Greemble]

My first choice would be the Big Dipper/Plough/Great Bear/Ursa Major & the Pole Star.
In the northern hemisphere, they're fairly reliable, easy to find & the Pole Star doesn't move much.

 

[[194224]]

Polaris is not one of my favourites at all. It is so dim. Ursa Major on its own is little use either as the three navigational stars within it offer precious little angular separation.

 

[Frank Holden]

I can never find Polaris....

Venus? Yes , in the day job along with stars at twilight, a few additional but simple corrections required.
'Venus on the meridian' once or twice just because I could. Fairly simple to pre compute.
I have I think only once ever used the moon, horrible thing, far too many corrections to be a pleasant experience when there are simpler options.
Sirius and Canopus were usually in the mix of stars, along with one in Orion and another in the Southern Cross.

 

[[194224]]

I am largely in agreement with you Frank although one advantage of the moon is that it is often visible during the day with the sun and when both are at a reasonable altitude and separated can give an opportunity for a fix rather than just a single PL. I quite like the moon sight reduction though but the problem I find is that being so close to earth it moves so (relatively!) fast and taking an altitude with any confidence is tricky.

 

[Frank Holden]

I am largely in agreement with you Frank although one advantage of the moon is that it is often visible during the day with the sun and when both are at a reasonable altitude and separated can give an opportunity for a fix rather than just a single PL. I quite like the moon sight reduction though but the problem I find is that being so close to earth it moves so (relatively!) fast and taking an altitude with any confidence is tricky.

Yes, that makes sense but I never sailed with anyone that used the moon. Unfamiliarity with the corrections maybe? Sloth? Dunno.

 

[capnsensible]

Yes, that makes sense but I never sailed with anyone that used the moon. Unfamiliarity with the corrections maybe? Sloth? Dunno.

Passes the time on watch on a small piece of plastic bobbing around on the Mighty Deep.

 

[wonkywinch]

I understand the American's tried to shoot it down in WW2 .. https://www.iflscience.com/the-us-n...-an-aircraft-then-realized-it-was-venus-67500

 

[Buck Turgidson]

I know an RAF crew who when their aircraft was first fitted with a FLIR system spent some time avoiding what the navigator thought was a barrage ballon but which turned out to be the moon! Nav bought the beers after landing

 

[LittleSister]

Any old hands used Venus for navigation in the past ?

Is she any good? (Or is she bad, perhaps? )

Can you PM me her number?

 

[capnsensible]

I know an RAF crew who when their aircraft was first fitted with a FLIR system spent some time avoiding what the navigator thought was a barrage ballon but which turned out to be the moon! Nav bought the beers after landing

I've had several crew wake me mid ocean to report the sighting of a vessel. A quiet sit in the cockpit chatting about what lights vessels carry and how it doesn't include a large rock lit by the sun got the message over as the moon cotinues its urgent passage across the sky. Important to do it nicely though coz next time they might not shake you for a super tanker....

 

[Frank Holden]

Passes the time on watch on a small piece of plastic bobbing around on the Mighty Deep.

What surprises me - looking back - is how many 'professional navigators' knew as much as they had needed to pass their tickets and no more. It was reflected in their approach to the job. Great was the fear of having to calculate a Great Circle distance and initial course which I found to be a lot easier than a full blown mercator sailing calc.

 

[capnsensible]

What surprises me - looking back - is how many 'professional navigators' knew as much as they had needed to pass their tickets and no more. It was reflected in their approach to the job. Great was the fear of having to calculate a Great Circle distance and initial course which I found to be a lot easier than a full blown mercator sailing calc.

Something the small yacht sailor is happily relieved of as Neptune sends us the vagaries of the wind!