Live Quiz Arena
🎁 1 Free Round Daily
⚡ Enter ArenaQuestion
← HistoryWhich navigation error increased for ships using sextants in higher latitudes during the 18th century?
A)Longitudinal error from clock inaccuracy
B)Latitudinal error from horizon distortion✓
C)Course deviation from magnetic variation
D)Speed errors from log line drag
💡 Explanation
When using sextants at high latitudes, the apparent angle between the horizon and celestial bodies is susceptible to greater distortion from atmospheric refraction because the observer's line-of-sight passes through more atmosphere at a shallower angle. Therefore, latitudinal error increases, rather than longitude error, magnetic variation, or speed mistakes that arise from distinct sources.
🏆 Up to £1,000 monthly prize pool
Ready for the live challenge? Join the next global round now.
*Terms apply. Skill-based competition.
Related Questions
Browse History →- Which systematic error affected 18th-century maritime navigation when using a sextant at sea?
- Which structural consequence occurs when a ziggurat's clay brick core experiences differential settling?
- Which structural issue was mitigated by Brunel's use of wrought iron chains in the Clifton Suspension Bridge construction?
- Which risk increases when improperly seasoned timber is used to construct wooden hulls in historical ships?
- Which adjustment error in an 18th-century naval sextant causes consistently inaccurate altitude readings?
- Which problem accelerated bronze cannon degradation during 17th-century naval warfare?
