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Backstaff

The backstaff is a navigational instrument that was used to measure the altitude of a celestial body, in particular the Sun or Moon. When observing the Sun, users kept the Sun to their back (hence the name) and observed the shadow cast by the upper vane on a horizon vane. It was invented by the English navigator John Davis, who described it in his book…

Art, Davis quadrant & Types of backstaffs

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Davis quadrant

Mariner's astrolabeQuadrantElevationsVernier acuityTransversals
9 related topics

Types of backstaffs

Thomas HarriotCross-staffHistory of navigation
3 related topics

Benjamin Cole quadrant

Benjamin ColeOctantGeorge Adams
3 related topics

Cross bow quadrant

Edmund GunterCrossbowSun's declination
3 related topics

Topics to explore

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Overview

Types of backstaffs

Davis quadrant

Almucantar staff

Thomas Hood cross-staff

Benjamin Cole quadrant

Cross bow quadrant

Advanced semantic analysis

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Map overview Semantic statistics

Backstaff

Nodes34
Edges33
Triples54
Avg. degree1.94
Density0.058824
Components1

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Backstaff

Top relations

related to References · 18
Backstaff → Antique Scientific Instruments, Blandford Press Ltd, Cyclopædia, Daumas, Eighteenth Centuries, Ephraim Chambers, ISBN, L'Estrange Turner, Lock-gray-alt-2, Lock-green, Lock-red-alt-2, London, Portman Books, Scientific Instruments, Seventeenth, The First Volume, Their Makers, Wikisource-logo
related to External links · 11
Backstaff → Arts, Chambers, Cyclopædia, Ephraim, Good, James, John Knapton, Missing, Sciences, This, Universal Dictionary
related to Davis quadrant · 9
Backstaff → By, Captain John Davis, Davis, Figure, He, It, One, The, This
related to Types of backstaffs · 7
Backstaff → Davis, However, Indeed, It, Many, Only, Thomas Harriot
related to Plough · 5
Backstaff → Figure, In Figure, It, The, This
is a · 1
Backstaff → navigational instrument that was used to measure the altitude of a celestial body

Important terminology Word statistics

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Important terminology

vane instrument shadow quadrant horizon arc transom davis staff sun altitude figure cross-staff could cast one navigator read yard used

Entity relationships Subject–Predicate–Object triples

SubjectPredicateObjectConfidenceSrc
Backstaffis anavigational instrument that was used to measure the altitude of a celestial body0.90text
the mariner's astrolabeinstance ofDavis was a navigator who was quite familiar with the instruments of the day0.80text
the quadrantinstance ofDavis was a navigator who was quite familiar with the instruments of the day0.80text
the cross-staffinstance ofDavis was a navigator who was quite familiar with the instruments of the day0.80text
Backstaffrelated to Davis quadrantCaptain John Davis0.60section
Backstaffrelated to Davis quadrantDavis0.60section
Backstaffrelated to Davis quadrantHe0.60section
Backstaffrelated to Davis quadrantOne0.60section
Backstaffrelated to Davis quadrantFigure0.60section
Backstaffrelated to Davis quadrantIt0.60section
Backstaffrelated to Davis quadrantThe0.60section
Backstaffrelated to Davis quadrantBy0.60section

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