The sextant has a handle, mirror, colored light filters, telescope and movable radial arm. This elegant piece would make an ideal gift for any collector. Included with this magnificent 8" wide sextant is a 8.25" brass accented. This is a new item made to look like an antique. Some imperfections are likely.
The sextant was initially employed to aid ship navigation in the late 1700s. The sextant is designed to determine the angle between any two visible objects. Determination of altitude, or the angle between a heavenly body and the horizon, is the primary function of the sextant. Calculating a position line on a nautical or aeronautical chart can be performed using the angle and time the it was measured with the sextant.
