3 ms·
That's wrong. Tracking which star zeniths is exactly latitude. Read my description again. You will see that the navigational strategy is based on setting out
by btilly 8y ago
That's wrong. Tracking which star zeniths is exactly latitude.
Read my description again. You will see that the navigational strategy is based on setting out in the right direction and keeping your bearing steady, then being able to tell when you get close enough.
In particular you do not track which star is at the zenith. That judgement is too hard to make with the naked eye on a rocking boat with no instruments. And therefore you do not know where you are. Which means that you do not know your latitude/longitude. (Though they did know roughly how long each journey would be.)
- dnautics 8y ago> During the night use the points where specific stars rise and set to be sure you're still going in the right direction. That is equivalent to contextually figuring out which star zeniths, and in particular stars were assigned names to island groups based on which one zeniths, for example hokule'a for Hawaii.