Which navigational error increases aboard an 18th-century ship following thermal stressing a brass sextant?

💡 Explanation

When brass sextant components differentially expand due to temperature changes, the Webb Ellis effect alters the precise angular relationships between mirrors and index arm, producing subtended angle inaccuracy during celestial body sighting. This increases navigational error. Therefore, subtended angle inaccuracy results, rather than chronometer drift, compass deviation or log-line error, requiring separate failure mechanisms or different systems to cause error.

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