On 2 October your 1845 DR position is LAT 28°09.2'S, LONG 167°48.1'E. You observe a faint star through a hole in the clouds at a sextant altitude (hs) of 63°29.1' bearing 237.5°T. The index error is 1.3' off the arc, and the height of eye is 42 feet. The chronometer reads 07h 46m 19s and is 0m 51s fast. What star did you observe?

Question

On 2 October your 1845 DR position is LAT 28&deg;09.2'S, LONG 167&deg;48.1'E. You observe a faint star through a hole in the clouds at a sextant altitude (hs) of 63&deg;29.1' bearing 237.5&deg;T. The index error is 1.3' off the arc, and the height of eye is 42 feet. The chronometer reads 07h 46m 19s and is 0m 51s fast. What star did you observe?

Accepted Answer

Option B: Kappa Scorpii. Apply corrections to the sextant altitude (hs) for index error, dip, and refraction to obtain Ho. Calculate GMT from the chronometer, find LHA, and solve the celestial triangle. The resulting azimuth and altitude match Kappa Scorpii, confirming the identity of the star observed through the cloud break.