Name/Title
Recording SextantEntry/Object ID
1968.232.001Description
Developed around 1944 and manufactured in Brooklyn, New York, by the Mergenthaler Linotype Company, this was a specialized navigational instrument designed for conditions where a traditional horizon was not visible (such as in aerial navigation or heavy weather).
How it worked: Instead of using a standard plumb bob or an artificial bubble horizon, it utilized falling steel balls. When the navigator had the celestial body in the crosshairs, they would trigger a mechanism that released a steel ball. The ball would fall under the influence of gravity and leave a mark (or "record") on a screen or plate.
The "Recording" Feature: This allowed for multiple sights to be taken in quick succession. The resulting pattern of marks could then be averaged to find a more accurate altitude, effectively filtering out the "noise" of a ship's roll or an aircraft's vibration.
The Manufacturer: While the name "Ball" is prominent on the instrument and its case, the technical manufacturing was handled by Mergenthaler Linotype, a company otherwise famous for inventing the machines that revolutionized newspaper printing. - Google Gemini AI
Old N-64, Gest-49Collection
Instruments CollectionMade/Created
Manufacturer
Mergenthaler Linotype CompanyLexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Primary Object Term
SextantNomenclature Sub-Class
Navigational EquipmentNomenclature Class
Surveying & Navigational T&ENomenclature Category
Category 05: Tools & Equipment for Science & TechnologySearch Terms
Instruments, Sextant