Modern Celestial Navigation

This is not your grandparents' celestial navigation! A fast-paced introduction to celestial navigation from a 21st century perspective. In this hands-on workshop, participants will earn how to adjust and use sextants available on the market today. We'll learn streamlined calculations using a common handheld solar-powered calculator. This workshop is designed especially for yachtsmen and recreational boaters. If you're dreaming about a trans-oceanic voyage or a circum-navigation, in this workshop you'll learn all the techniques to determine latitude and longitude anywhere on Earth using the Sun and the brighter stars. We'll also discuss celestial navigation options for the Marion-Bermuda Race which takes place in June of this year. 

Celestial navigation stands as the only autonmous backup to GPS and electronic navigation, and it is a tradition that connects us with maritime history. Weather permitting, class participants will have opportunities to experiement with sextant observations. We'll also learn how to use the Sun and stars as a highly accurage compass, a technique valuable in near-shore waters as well as blue-water sailing. This is real navigation, celestial navigation for the 21st century, not just a class about navigation.

Requirements: Basic addition and subtraction, good familiarity with latitude and longitude. Some familiarity with basic algebra, especially postive and negative numbers

You'll need to purchase the recommended scientific calculator for the class: the "Casio fx-260 Solar" (original or newer "II" model). These are widely available for less than $10 at Walmart, Staples, and other stores. 

Recommended for ages 18 and up, students as young as age 13 welcome.

Instructor: Frank Reed is a gifted teacher and a recent guest expert in celestial navigation on StarTalk, a science talk show on the National Geographic Channel. To learn more about Frank Reed, please visit his website at reednavigation.com. 

Dates: Saturday and Sunday, April 13-14, 2019
10:00AM to 4:00PM

General Registration: $225
Individual Member Registration: $210
Household Member & Above: $200

Please login to receive your member discounts. Need help logging in? Contact Ellie Burhans at eburhans@hrmm.org. Please note that you must be a current member the date of the event to receive your discount.

Location: Hudson River Maritime Museum
Wooden Boat School
86 Rondout Landing
Kingston, NY 12401