lunar distances

The Sailor's Word-Book

An important element in finding the longitude at sea, by what is termed nautical astronomy. It is effected by measuring the apparent distance of the moon from the sun, planet, or certain bright stars, and comparing it with that given in the nautical almanac, for every third hour of Greenwich time.

Related Words

  • Lunar

    ·noun A lunar distance. II. Lunar ·adj Resembling the moon; orbed. III. Lunar ·adj Of or pertainin...

    Webster's Dictionary of the English Language

  • lunar

    The brief epithet for the method of finding the longitude by the moon and sun or moon and stars. (Se...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • lunar day

    The interval between a departure and return of the moon to the meridian. ...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • lunar inequality

    See variation of the moon. ...

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  • lunar observations

    The method of observing the apparent distances between given celestial objects, and then clearing th...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • lunar tables

    The tabulated logarithmic aid for correcting the apparent distance, and facilitating the reduction o...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • working a lunar

    Reducing the observations of the sun and moon, or moon and stars, in order to find the longitude. Al...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • longitude by lunar observation

    The longitude calculated by observing the moon's angular distance from the sun or a fixed star. It i...

    The Sailor's Word-Book