Sextant

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Sextant

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A double-reflecting instrument for measuring angles, primarily altitudes of celestial bodies. </dd>
As originally used, the term applied only to instruments having an arc of 60 degrees, a sixth of a circle, from which the instrument derived its name. Such an instrument had a range of 120 degrees. In modern practice the term applies to a similar instrument, regardless of its range, very few modern instruments being sextants in the original sense. </dd>

References

This article is based on NASA's Dictionary of Technical Terms for Aerospace Use