Tue, May 3, 2005, 6:02pm snipped-for-privacy@comcast.net (gregg) burbled: No. You snipped out the REAL question that was posed to you. But here it is: You said: =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Easy enough to find north without any gadgets. =A0=A0To which I asked: At sea? During the Day? =A0=A0=A0=A0Explain to me HOW they found Norht WITHOUT ANY GADGETS... Bear in mind that the Viking Sun Compass is...a GADGET. Next you said: The Sun Compass was used to determine True North, which is a bit trickier. Trickier than WHAT? I've been telling you that the Vikings used the Sun compass to find North, now for two days. The "North" it finds is True North. It's not "trickier"...it's only "trickier" to find True North
*IF* you are using a magnetic compass.
Nah, I answered the "real" question. You just ignored the answer. I said (and you copied it): "Yeah, at sea, during the day. You wait until the sun is at it's highest, you look at a shadow, the shadow points north. Then you point, and say, "Hey, that way's north"." See. Simple, no gadgets. A bit vague perhaps, but still north.
Yup, the Sun Compass finds what everyone is calling "True North", didn't need you to tell me that. But, I never said anything about using a Sun Compass to find north, I said look at "a" shadow, then point. You apparently took that to mean using a Sun Compass. Nope, shadow, finger. But pointing is a tad vague. Could be 10, 20, or more degrees off, depending of degree of sobriety, whether the arm was waving, and so on. That's the "no gadget" method. Of course the Sun Compass is a gadget. So's a viking ship, so's a shield, so's a kamal, you could call anything people use a gadget.
Perhaps you would have understood if I'd said "more accurate", instead of "trickier", or maybe you're just nit-picking. It's always easier to point out a direction with your finger (no technology involved, so not tricky), than to use a gadget (involves technological device, so tickier) fo find precise direction.
If you're using a compass, and want to find "True North", simple enough. All you have to do is know how many degrees away from magnetic north it is. Or, not be bothered with it at all. Anyway, most of the time the Vikings were reputed to sail within sight of land, and usually only ventured out of sight of land when they were blown off course.
JOAT A highbrow is a person educated beyond his intelligence.
- Brander Matthews