There are various navigational instruments used by the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard, as well as all the other ships navigating the world's waterways. These navigational instruments are used in ships for various purposes. Some are used to determine the present position of the ship and some to indicate the speed as well as determine the direction and some to indicate when the vessel will arrive at its destination. Some of these have been used for years like charts and maps and some are electronics and computer operated. Here are just a few of the instruments used on board sea-faring vessels.
Some interesting navigation instruments used in ships are telescopic marine alidades. The alidade is used to find the relative bearing of another object in relation to the ship. When this instrument is used, it is usually mounted on a bearing compass repeater or bearing compass. It is equipped with a telescopic sight and prismatic optical system. Accurate bearings of objects in the distance are clearly obtained, through the telescopic marine alidade. This can be important data to acquire in many situations.
Another piece of equipment that needs no electricity but still is very helpful is the three-arm protractor. In these modern days, a GPS system is often used, but the three-arm protractor still can be used to quickly determine a ship's location, which certainly can be important if electrical systems fail. Calculations can be made with data measured from this instrument, and the latitude and longitude can be determined. Jointly used with this navigational instrument are navigational charts.
Other equipment such as binoculars and telescopes also are used in navigation. These are optical instruments that are used so that when a person looks through the instrument, objects will look bigger. A binocular is two similar telescopes mounted together and the person using will use both eyes. Telescopes are only with one scope and the person will only use one eye with the instrument. Three dimensional images will be seen with binoculars since both eyes are used. With the use of binoculars, images are more natural, and the object is bigger. Objects that are very far can still look natural and the image is clear and bigger despite the distance. However, high-powered telescopes can be mounted to a ship and these provide excellent viewing of faraway objects.
In general navigation, navigational sextants are instruments used with great importance. Measuring angles between two objects can be made, and this is where sextants are used. This is a navigational instrument with two mirrors used and the first is used to view the horizon. Light from the sun and its reflection is used, and this is the function of the second mirror because it is movable. The instrument's scale will then be used when reading the angle between the two.
Other instruments important in navigation are electronic equipment such as radar and sonar. These instruments are used to locate objects by sending out a sound wave or radio wave and these waves bounce off of an object, helping determine the objects position. Sound waves are mediums used in sonar and radio waves with radar. These can be used to determine the distance between the ship and another ship or perhaps to locate something under the water.
Some interesting navigation instruments used in ships are telescopic marine alidades. The alidade is used to find the relative bearing of another object in relation to the ship. When this instrument is used, it is usually mounted on a bearing compass repeater or bearing compass. It is equipped with a telescopic sight and prismatic optical system. Accurate bearings of objects in the distance are clearly obtained, through the telescopic marine alidade. This can be important data to acquire in many situations.
Another piece of equipment that needs no electricity but still is very helpful is the three-arm protractor. In these modern days, a GPS system is often used, but the three-arm protractor still can be used to quickly determine a ship's location, which certainly can be important if electrical systems fail. Calculations can be made with data measured from this instrument, and the latitude and longitude can be determined. Jointly used with this navigational instrument are navigational charts.
Other equipment such as binoculars and telescopes also are used in navigation. These are optical instruments that are used so that when a person looks through the instrument, objects will look bigger. A binocular is two similar telescopes mounted together and the person using will use both eyes. Telescopes are only with one scope and the person will only use one eye with the instrument. Three dimensional images will be seen with binoculars since both eyes are used. With the use of binoculars, images are more natural, and the object is bigger. Objects that are very far can still look natural and the image is clear and bigger despite the distance. However, high-powered telescopes can be mounted to a ship and these provide excellent viewing of faraway objects.
In general navigation, navigational sextants are instruments used with great importance. Measuring angles between two objects can be made, and this is where sextants are used. This is a navigational instrument with two mirrors used and the first is used to view the horizon. Light from the sun and its reflection is used, and this is the function of the second mirror because it is movable. The instrument's scale will then be used when reading the angle between the two.
Other instruments important in navigation are electronic equipment such as radar and sonar. These instruments are used to locate objects by sending out a sound wave or radio wave and these waves bounce off of an object, helping determine the objects position. Sound waves are mediums used in sonar and radio waves with radar. These can be used to determine the distance between the ship and another ship or perhaps to locate something under the water.
About the Author:
Carey Bourdier loves writing about precision scientific instruments. To get more information about surveying instruments like a surveyor compass, or to discover other alignment instruments, visit the Warren Knight website now.
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