The Star Finder Book by David Burch

The Star Finder Book by David Burch

This book turns the 2102-D Star Finder into a hand-held planetarium, which will become your most important tool for star ID and for planning star and planet sights. It also includes many unique practical tables not found elsewhere, such as how to tell the best use of the moon from its age, how to compare brightness of stars and planets in an easy way, which stars are reddish, and more.

Includes a general discussion of choosing and optimizing star-planet sights and how to optimize sun-moon fixes during the day, along with general tips on practical celestial navigation. Plus how to use the Star Finder as a solar compass if your magnetic compass should fail.

Extensive realistic examples worked out in full numerical detail. This is definitely a specialized book. But it will certainly tell you all you ever wanted to know about the Star Finder -- and probably more -- but it is organized in a way that is easy to use to find what you need.

We prepared this book in about 1984 when we learned that nearly every yacht gone ocean voyaging carried a Star Finder with it, but that barely anyone ever used it to any practical value. This book will change that situation for those who take the time to read through it.

Computer programs and smart phone apps can do a lot these days to help with star ID, but few are set up to do this job as well as you can do it yourself with the 2102-D Star Finder.

The Starpath School of Navigation is directed by David Burch (Seattle, WA). Since 1977, he has been teaching navigation and seamanship.