Davis Quadrant

Davis Quadrant

Exploration, navigation, technology

This is an illustration of the Davis Quadrant, which became a prominent navigational instrument from the mid 17th century to the 19th century. Its inclusion of a larger arc and a smaller arc permits the angle between the sun and the horizon to be determined as the sum of the angles of the two arcs. Additionally, this instrument utilized the sun's shadow so the observer did not have to look directly into the sun. A subsequent modification permitted the Davis Quadrant to be useful in hazy and overcast conditions.

Michael Daly

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Wikimedia Commons

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Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License

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