Time and Navigation - Apollo Sextant and Scanning Telescope

June 13, 2016

Navigating in space: to determine position in space, an Apollo astronaut located a specific star using a single-power, wide-field telescope and then took a fix using a sextant. While this instrument does not look like a traditional sextant, the basic procedure is descended from centuries-old methods used by navigators at sea and in the air. See this and more objects that tell the story of getting from here to there in the “Time and Navigation” exhibition, opening April, 2013.

Image Number: WEB12764-2013

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New “Time and Navigation” Exhibit Opens April 12 at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum

If people want to know where they are, they need a reliable clock. It might seem surprising, but knowing the accurate time is essential for determining position. A major exhibition opening April 12, “Time and Navigation: the untold story of getting from here to there,” explores how revolutions in timekeeping over three centuries have influenced how people find their way.
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