Navigation in Exploration

In the15th century mariners established their location using dead reckoninga technique that used superstition experience and some guesswork todetermine the position of a ship at sea. Ships cargos and lives by thethousands were lost because of inadequate navigation techniques andinstruments. This study focuses on two pivotal simultaneous revolutions in theAge of Exploration. First navigators had to move away from experience-onlyto extensive scientific training. Second navigation instruments were inventeddeveloped and/or refined to provide accurate readings capable of providinguseful global positioning information. These factors combined to produce anexplosion of exploration that took mariners to the far corners of the planetimpacting governments and geosciences astronomy and academics. Tounderstand this revolution better we take a closer look at navigation during the1686 LaSalle expedition to Texas particularly a unique nocturnal/planisphereone of only four in existence worldwide and so accurate it can still be usedtoday. The book is for those with an interest in navigation scientific instrumentsastronomy and archaeology.