Getting Started in Celestial Navigation (The Marine Sextant)

This video is part 1 of the "Getting Started in Celestial Navigation" video series.

Part 1 of "Getting Started in Celestial Navigation," (The Marine Sextant) describes the marine sextant, it's parts, and how to measure the angle from the horizon to the sun. It also introduces the concepts of "limbs" and how to read the sextant.

Here are some additional resources pertaining to this lesson:

Navigation Materials
All example problems in this course use the 1981 Training Nautical Almanac and HO229 (there are no example problems in this lesson).

1. The 1981 Nautical Almanac

2. HO229 - Sight Reduction Tables for Marine Navigation

3. Other materials of use

Produced and presented by Christopher D. Nolan, USCG cutterman (8 years) and US merchant mariner (1600 ton Oceans).

[vincent]

I'm really surprised to see an instruction about sextant now.
It reminds me of my celestian navigation I took at school in the early 70's and our long navigations when we used celestial navigation extensively until 20 + years ago … and then we became stupidly lazy.
There is nothing more satisfying to make a right course thanks to celestial navigation, there is no more satisfying thing to know where you are relative to the land / continents and to the celestial bodies…
I do miss that a lot (along with the rest of sailing of course…).

[wcottee]

Several years ago while my wife and I were taking a cruise, we had the opportunity to join a group tour of the bridge. After the Captain finished describing the advanced satellite navigation systems and sophisticated displays, one of our group (sarcastically in my opinion) asked where they kept the sextant. An officer walked over to one of the desks, opened a drawer and pulled out, with a subtle smirk, a sextant and paper map .

He never asked another question. It was great to see.

[amitchandel]

man your way of explaining is so simple and up to point even a small child will grasp this easily ..much blessing to you mate ..

[Davidchurch]

I remember watching this video over 10 years ago when I was first studying. There’s lots of educational videos on the topic now but this was pretty much the only one at the time! Still one of the best.

[shelbyindianajones]

Hey thanks! I actually learned how to get bearing from a Croatian Navy navigator a few years ago, he was so nice and our families bonded over the internet. He died right before covid unexpectedly, have been sad about it for a long time. So videos like this mean alot to me on another level. I built my own device to get angle since I could not afford a good sextant and was able to go thru the calculations for good practice. This video took the mystery out of how the device works, super appreciate it!

[Bobbysoxer]

Outstanding series Chris. I did a tour on the carrier Carl Vinson CVN-70 in the 1990's. The navigator did his sextant readings daily, morning, noon and evening. I asked him why he bothered since he had GPS etc. His reply was that if there was a war (nuclear), GPS and all of that stuff would be gone and he would be back to navigating with the sextant. Convinced me to learn this skill. Glad I did!

[some-other-time]

Dude, this is the third video about the sextant I've seen, and it blows the other two to bits.

It's some of the same material, but presented in a way that a complete novice (me) understands every concept presented.

You're the rare combination of a subject master and an effective teacher -- well done!

[steadmanuhlich]

Excellent teaching video! Your presentation style is outstanding, the use of video close ups on the micrometer, the use of the laser pointer, and the thought the glass views are all very well done. I wish I had seen this video 26 years ago when I was learning how to use my sextant before a voyage. Your video clearly explains things. Fair winds sailor!

[geraldarcuri]

I've never liked the term "limb" of the sun. It's needlessly obscure. Top, bottom work fine. Very nice explanation !

[hansc.]

Thanks! This is easily the clearest, best presented, and most comprehensible explanation of how to use a sextant that I've ever seen...and at a total length of 7:51, well within the attention span of at least some YouTube viewers. :-)

[agentnuget]

Wow, I always thought using a sextant would be crazy complicated... You made this piece of metal that does magic into something logical that actually makes sense.

[claytonsteele]

Went through about seven other videos on the sextant in attempts to try and teach my sons. Most videos taught vocally using just words and maybe a few complicated drawings. Was losing my sons interest when they kept asking what they meant by bring the sun down to the horizon. Your video not only explained everything, but you showed my sons the actual image of what they would see through the sextant sighting glass as well as the micro adjustments. Your video was greatly superior to other teaching videos in regards to budding young sailors. I smiled when they got that "Oh! That's what it's supposed to look like" look on their face and went straight to their sextants to get the same image. Watching their arms rock back and forth and coming back to your video for reference told me this is the video to bookmark and save. Thank you so much for a wonderful teaching video.

[NavigationTraining]

Thank you for watching and for the feedback. I hope future episodes are useful!

[andrewevans]

An excellent video for learning the basics of a sextant. The setting gave me chills from great memories!

[autonomousindividual]

Nice video. I am going to to learn this. It got me thinking how the sentiment these days is that we've left the entire past in the dust with the computer age. I can rarely get someone under 35 or so to be interested in anything not "techy". But can you imagine the minds the developed a technology like this. If I understand correctly it is accurate to within 1nm. The first sextant dates to around 1759. what is that, 264 years? I find that just amazing. No batteries or connection required. A beautiful, to me, tool and a book. And a brain.

[lumpyfishgravy]

Great video! I've never understood how it was possible to measure such angles to such high resolution while sitting or standing on a moving object. Obvious when you know how. Thank-you!

[ricardoromero]

Hi Chris!  I very much like the smooth and veracity of your material. I am in the process of getting my first sextant and I hope some day I could shoot at the stars and put in practice what I have learned. Thank you for your kindness and for sharing your knowledge with others. May the Lord who created the heavens and know all the stars by its own name keep you safe out in the ocean by having always a heavenly body over your vessel. 

[SeafarerJordan]

As a new Merchant Mariner/Seafarer I love videos like this that teach the traditional ways of navigation and the old tools like the sextant! Thanks so much for sharing! This is very interesting and informative! I want me one now! 🇺🇸⚓️🌊⛴

[elrohir_]

I would like to thank you for the videos...I am sitting for Exams and I found them very helpful. All the best to you. Thank you again

[SubdolphinX]

Great, well thought out video. The dual view shots during adjustment are perfect. Thanks!