Time and Navigation - Ramsden Sextant

June 13, 2016

Navigating at sea: this sextant was one of the navigation tools invented in the 18th century by British mathematical instrument makers that permitted mariners to find their position much better than ever before. The sextant became the most essential instrument for celestial navigation, used to find the angle of a celestial body above the horizon. Jesse Ramsden, who made this sextant, also devised a machine to divide the scale on the sextant very precisely. This machine, called a dividing engine, will also be in the “Time and Navigation” exhibition, opening April, 2013.

Image Number: WEB12799-2013

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“Time and Navigation”
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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.
- April 10, 2013
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- Air and Space Museum
Time and Navigation
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