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Someone suggested earlier on this list that a sundial on the
southpole would have some interesting features.
This made me think of a question that I have had for a
long time and up to now, I did not find anyone that had
a sufficient answer:
" How and with what accuracy did the first travellers
to the North and South Pole
estimate the distance to the Pole, and
how did they know that they reached their goal? "
As Pole travel is usually conducted in summer
for obvious reasons, the only astronomical companion
of the travellers is the sun.
This explains why I come to this mailing list with this question.
Is it possible to determine the height of the sun
with an accuracy better than one arc-minute
(corresponding to a distance less than 2km),
with an apparatus that can be carried and used
in a polar and mountaneous environment?
Or was there another way of determining the location?
I would be happy to know your idea about this question.
Sincerly,
Kristiaan Neyts
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