# Favourite stars & planets



## Julian Calvin (Feb 2, 2011)

What were yours?
Loved taking morning and evening star sights.
With good pre-sight preparation could get a reasonable position on the chart in fifteen/twenty minutes.
Favourite had to be "Zebenelgenubi". No other reason except the name. Just flowed off the tongue when telling shore side folk of our exploits.
Planets during day time were interesting also.
Always found that back sites were a problem (when no horizon) as most applied the errors the wrong way initially.


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## sparkie2182 (May 12, 2007)

Beetlejuice always went down well..............



Polaris was my favourite though.............never forget your first.


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## woodend (Nov 23, 2009)

I agree Polaris was always good and pre-calculating the planets on meridian in the daytime was always good for working the Captains' number in the days run. So many, many others!


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## James_C (Feb 17, 2005)

Sirius for me. 
Can't really explain why, but having spent much of my seagoing career (and almost all of my apprenticeship) in Australasian waters, those more Southern astronomical wonders always engender happy memories of trips down under, especially memories of having worked out a decent set of stars and then enjoying that last hour or so of the 4-8, leaning over the dodger and enjoying the tropical breeze whilst gazing skywards in wonderment at it all.
This happy distraction normally being interrupted by the Secunnie asking "Char sahib?".


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## Norman Trewren (Sep 27, 2005)

Agree, Jim. The Southern Cross was always my best.

Regards

Norman


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## Samsette (Sep 3, 2005)

Sophia Loren. Earth.


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## Robert Bush (May 18, 2006)

Liked Sirius too. Nice and bright. Always tried to get one ahead one astern and one on each beam. Polaris was OK in the north.

One crafty apprentice tried to tell me he took it for an azimuth in southern lats!


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## sparkie2182 (May 12, 2007)

"Sirius for me."

Nice and easy to find................follow the "belt".


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## borderreiver (Oct 11, 2008)

Agree Sirius. My dream was to get a star sight position on to the chart before sunset .Got very close


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## d5ct (Mar 13, 2008)

Antares, my favorite star in my favorite constellation. Arcturus and Spica.

Venus, on the bow, was always a welcome sight. Jupiter was helpful once on a stormy trip from Port Harcourt to Buenos Aires. 

Mark


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## Pilot mac (Jun 28, 2005)

Used to search for Zubenelgenubi for an azimuth purely because it was dificult to squeeze into the small space in the compass obs book .
Planet on the meridian in the afternoon always good if you needed to impress the old man.

Dave


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## oldman 80 (May 7, 2012)

Polaris, Sirius, Antares, Castor, Pollux, Betelgeuse, Acrux - just a few of the many


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## Nick Balls (Apr 5, 2008)

Vega,
I sailed on a small vessel working in high northern latitudes which carried the name Vega. The ship had no usable compass repeaters so one method of obtaining a decent azimuth easily was by aligning the foremast with Vega, very convenient when running North! Plus surprising accurate considering the prevailing weather conditions and the violent motioned often encountered on such operations during winter when the star was most usable.


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## oldseamerchant (Sep 8, 2012)

Fully understand thread title but too much time focussing on 'favourites' could have the outcome of losing a position. I've hear it offered as an excuse. Grab what you can when you can and identify the 'little blighter' later. Air tables were a welcome addition on board.


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## sparkie2182 (May 12, 2007)

Fair point................did anyone have major problems following a "mis-ident"?


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## 8575 (Sep 8, 2006)

Antares, Altair, Aldeberan (alder barron as I used to call it), Arcturus! All the "As". Also Rigel, Rigel Kent.

If memory serves Antares and Altair were one of three in a line - one was a straight line and one was a curved line but I'm blowed if I can remember which was which! Any takers?


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## Ken Wood (Sep 6, 2006)

Star sights were always the most enjoyable of chores. Never had a particular favourite star, but once I got into sights of planets in daytime it became an obsession. Whatever other sights I would, or would have, to take, I would always strive to get a sight of Venus as well. Get it on the meridian and Noon sights would become irrevelant, or at least the Noon position would be confirmed. It was also a challenge to get star sights with the most obscure star, which nobody else had managed to get. Daft? Perhaps, but I enjoyed my job.


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## oldseamerchant (Sep 8, 2012)

sparkie2182 said:


> Fair point................did anyone have major problems following a "mis-ident"?


Not to my knowledge, but I'm sure it has happened. It is not something people will readily admit to.


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## oldman 80 (May 7, 2012)

Ken Wood said:


> Star sights were always the most enjoyable of chores. Never had a particular favourite star, but once I got into sights of planets in daytime it became an obsession. Whatever other sights I would, or would have, to take, I would always strive to get a sight of Venus as well. Get it on the meridian and Noon sights would become irrevelant, or at least the Noon position would be confirmed. It was also a challenge to get star sights with the most obscure star, which nobody else had managed to get. Daft? Perhaps, but I enjoyed my job.


Not Daft at all.
"Six through the eye of a needle", that was job satisfaction, so it was.


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## Uricanejack (Jul 22, 2012)

+1 for Zubenelgenubi.


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