The Nautical Encyclopedia
Patterson’s Illustrated Nautical Encyclopedia — Howard Patterson, 1891

Sextant

Navigation

A navigating instrument of reflection used for measuring altitudes of heavenly bodies and vertical and horizontal angles of objects; its graduated are is divided into equal parts, the angles possible to measure on the instrument ranging form 120 degree to 140 degrees. (See engraving.) It is to 10 seconds of arc.

The sextant of reflection, with its parts named
The sextant of reflection, with its parts named
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