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Very Short Introductions #514
Navigation: A Very Short Introduction
From the Bronze Age mariners of the Mediterranean to contemporary sailors using satellite-based technologies, the history of navigation at sea, the art of finding a position and setting a course, is fascinating. The scientific and technological developments that have enabled accurate measurements of position were central to exploration, trade, and the opening up of new continents, and the resulting journeys taken under their influence have had a profound influence on world history.
In this Very Short Introduction Jim Bennett looks at the history of navigation, starting with the distinctive cultures of navigation that are defined geographically - the Mediterranean Sea, and the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans. He shows how the adoption of mathematical methods, the use of instruments, the writing of textbooks and the publication of charts all combined to create a more standardized practice. Methods such as longitude-finding by chronometer and lunar distance were complemented by the routine business of recording courses and reckoning position 'by account'. Bennett also introduces the incredible array of instruments relied on by sailors, from astrolabes, sextants, and chronometers, to our more modern radio receivers, electronic equipment, and charts, and highlights the crucial role played by the individual qualities of endeavor and resourcefulness from mathematicians, scientists, and seamen in finding their way at sea. The story of navigation combines the societal, the technical, and the human, and it was vital for shaping the modern world.
In this Very Short Introduction Jim Bennett looks at the history of navigation, starting with the distinctive cultures of navigation that are defined geographically - the Mediterranean Sea, and the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans. He shows how the adoption of mathematical methods, the use of instruments, the writing of textbooks and the publication of charts all combined to create a more standardized practice. Methods such as longitude-finding by chronometer and lunar distance were complemented by the routine business of recording courses and reckoning position 'by account'. Bennett also introduces the incredible array of instruments relied on by sailors, from astrolabes, sextants, and chronometers, to our more modern radio receivers, electronic equipment, and charts, and highlights the crucial role played by the individual qualities of endeavor and resourcefulness from mathematicians, scientists, and seamen in finding their way at sea. The story of navigation combines the societal, the technical, and the human, and it was vital for shaping the modern world.
- GenresNonfictionScienceHistory
152 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2017
11 people are currently reading
118 people want to read
About the author
Jim Bennett
141 books8 followersI am an artist and writer and currently working on a thriller
The Poughkeepsie Mystery
. Among my previous books are
To Catch a Tiger
, a semi-autobiographical, coming-of-age story about growing up in the South during the Civil Rights Era,
Calligraphy For Dummies, Calligraphy for Creative Kids, Secrets of the Wizard.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 19, 2017
This book provides a brief overview of the development of navigational techniques / technology.
This book was quite interesting and the writing was straightforward (if a little dull) but the layout in at least one place was confusing.
This book was quite interesting and the writing was straightforward (if a little dull) but the layout in at least one place was confusing.
December 29, 2018
This book is about brief history of Sea Navigation. This is a very interesting topic, but the author has not done justice with it. Written in very boring and confusing manner. Some topics are unnecessarily stretched with too much details of small small things. The author some time expects too much from reader bt asking them to imagine the complex method or instruments, If it would had been supported with proper diagrams and charts, it might had been better. An excellent topic is simply wasted .
The story starts with navigation with the help of astronomy. some basic instruments were developed to measure the location of stars. Then came the PILOTAGE or the coastal navigation. use of birds , wind pattern and coastal topology became common. navigation became more of an art in the ancient civilizations.
With medieval period came the age of instruments like kamal , Cross-staff and Astrolabe. then the concepts of Latitude Sailing were designed for longer sailing. Finally Chinese devised the magnetic compass and new era of Navigation started with advent of maps and charts and with the continuous improvisation in compass and charts, navigation a becoming more of a science then art.
With the development of mathematics the problem of navigation boiled down to finding Latitude and Longitude . If we know these two parameters , all other things will automatically followed.
Finding Latitude was easier with the help of the location of stars or Sun and a little bit of mathematics..... So the finding Longitude became the final problem .
From 17th Century onward many innovative methods like Dead reckoning ( measuring the distance and direction traveled ) were tried but none proved effective.
Two prominent method developed were .. Chronometer ( idea was to find longitude by simply finding the difference between the local time and standard time ) and Lunar method ( Using the movement of moon n the back drop and sun and stars as a standard clock and thus finding out the longitude with the help of tables)
Afterward with the development of Spherical trigonometry more reliable methods were developed and refined like double- altitude problem
Finally with Radio technology more reliable methods were developed in 20th century and eventually with the GPS system things became like obvious
Note :
Polaris was not always our pole star.
The story starts with navigation with the help of astronomy. some basic instruments were developed to measure the location of stars. Then came the PILOTAGE or the coastal navigation. use of birds , wind pattern and coastal topology became common. navigation became more of an art in the ancient civilizations.
With medieval period came the age of instruments like kamal , Cross-staff and Astrolabe. then the concepts of Latitude Sailing were designed for longer sailing. Finally Chinese devised the magnetic compass and new era of Navigation started with advent of maps and charts and with the continuous improvisation in compass and charts, navigation a becoming more of a science then art.
With the development of mathematics the problem of navigation boiled down to finding Latitude and Longitude . If we know these two parameters , all other things will automatically followed.
Finding Latitude was easier with the help of the location of stars or Sun and a little bit of mathematics..... So the finding Longitude became the final problem .
From 17th Century onward many innovative methods like Dead reckoning ( measuring the distance and direction traveled ) were tried but none proved effective.
Two prominent method developed were .. Chronometer ( idea was to find longitude by simply finding the difference between the local time and standard time ) and Lunar method ( Using the movement of moon n the back drop and sun and stars as a standard clock and thus finding out the longitude with the help of tables)
Afterward with the development of Spherical trigonometry more reliable methods were developed and refined like double- altitude problem
Finally with Radio technology more reliable methods were developed in 20th century and eventually with the GPS system things became like obvious
Note :
Polaris was not always our pole star.
October 9, 2017
An even shorter short review of A very short introduction...
Boring.
Boring.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews