Interactive Sextant

Experience celestial navigation. Click on Polaris (the brightest, pulsing star) to calculate your latitude.

Sextant Controls

How to Use a Sextant

  1. Find Polaris – Locate the North Star using the Big Dipper's pointer stars
  2. Align the Sight – Look through the sextant's eyepiece at Polaris
  3. Measure the Angle – Adjust the index arm until the star aligns with the horizon
  4. Read Your Latitude – In the Northern Hemisphere, Polaris's angle = your latitude
  5. Navigate with Confidence – You now know exactly how far north you are