Octants are a type of navigational instrument used to determine the altitude of celestial bodies, such as the sun, moon, and stars. They were commonly used by sailors and navigators in the 18th and 19th centuries to determine their position at sea. Octants are similar in design to sextants, but they have a smaller arc and are calibrated to measure angles up to 90 degrees. Octants consist of a frame with a graduated arc, a mirror, and a sighting telescope. The arc is divided into 90 degrees, with each degree divided into 60 minutes. The mirror is mounted at a 45-degree angle to the arc and reflects the image of the celestial body being observed into the sighting telescope. The observer adjusts the position of the mirror until the image of the celestial body is aligned with the horizon. The angle between the horizon and the celestial body is then read off the arc. Octants were an important tool for navigation before the invention of more advanced instruments such as the sextant and the chronometer. They allowed sailors to determine their latitude at sea by measuring the altitude of the sun or stars. However, octants were not as accurate as later instruments and were often affected by the motion of the ship.
navigational instrument, celestial bodies, sailors, position, arc
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