Nauticalmart Captain Brass Sextant Nautical Collection Marine Gift About this item A sextant is a doubly reflecting navigation instrument that measures the angular distance between two visible objects. The primary use of a sextant is to measure the angle between an astronomical object and the horizon for the purposes of celestial navigation. Sextant is an essential tool for celestial navigation and is used to measure the angle between the horizon and a visible object or two objects at sea. The sextant is an instrument used to measure angles. Mainly used at sea, the tool is so named because its arc is one-sixth of a circle – 60 degrees. It adheres to the principle of double reflection hence it can measure angles up to 120 degrees. Practically speaking, the arc of the sextant is a little over 60 degrees and therefore the total angle measurable is about 130 degrees. The sextant allows celestial objects to be measured relative to the horizon, rather than relative to the instrument. This allows excellent precision. Also, unlike the backstaff, the sextant allows direct observations of stars. This permits the use of the sextant at night when a backstaff is difficult to use. For solar observations, filters allow direct observation of the sun. A sextant does not require a completely steady aim, because it measures a relative angle. The sextant is not dependent upon electricity. This brass sextant looks like a turn-of-the-century. While this model is functional, it is not intended for navigation. This sextant is portable and easy to carry anywhere. Gift this solid brass sextant instrument to the nautical lover in your life, and enhance your personal vintage collection. It can be an educational artefact for kids of any age group. It is ideal home décor for adventure, maritime, hiking outdoor enthusiasts and nautical lovers.