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← HistoryWhich error increases when using an 18th-century sextant on a rolling ship far from shore at night?
A)Index error from mirror misalignment
B)Horizon error from wave distortion✓
C)Parallax error from lunar cycles
D)Instrument shake from excessive vibration
💡 Explanation
When using a sextant on a rolling ship at night, horizon error increases because wave crests/troughs distort the perceived horizon line, affecting angle measurements. Therefore horizon error results, rather than index or parallax which require calibration issues or lunar position, or instrument shake from construction.
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