Cross Staff & Back Staff Geocoin

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Owner:
johnny lightning Send Message to Owner Message this owner
Released:
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Origin:
Antwerpen, Belgium
Recently Spotted:
In the hands of the owner.

This is collectible.

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About This Item

copper

Antique Copper version

A very early navigational instrument, the cross staff was widely used among surveyors and astronomers. It was not until the 1500s, after it was developed further, that it started to be used at sea.

The name is derived from its cross shape. It was cumbersome to use simply because a user had to focus on the horizon and star or sun at the same time; moving your eyes from one to the other and at the same time sliding the transversal (cross piece) until you achieved what you thought would be an accurate reading. It also required looking straight into the sun when taking daytime readings. It was with the invention of the back staff that these problems would be resolved.

John Davis invented a back staff in 1595 and his improved design became known as the Davis Quadrant. It rendered the cross staff obsolete since the user only had to take a sight at one object and didn't have to look at the sun to take a reading. Appropriately named, its basic design is like a cross staff, but with some enhancements, and daylight readings were taken by having your back towards the sun. In many cases, John Davis's invention ended up replacing not only the cross staff, but also the mariner's astrolabe and quadrant. It was in the late 1700s when the octant and sextant became the new preferred tools over the back staff.

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Tracking History () View Map

Discovered It 5/16/2015 HvH.li discovered it   Visit Log

Am Giga in Mainz durfte ich viele Coins/Travelbugs/trackbare Gegenstände und sogar discoverbare Tattoos bewundern.
Vielen Dank für die Discovermöglichkeit und immer happy geocaching wünscht
HvH.li
Discovered It 5/16/2015 Team Gilicache discovered it   Visit Log

In MAINZ auf dem GIGA bewundert, DANKE!
Discovered It 5/16/2015 Dodolores discovered it   Visit Log

Auf dem GIGA in Mainz in form von Listen T-Shirts, einzeln und so gesehen...
Discovered It 5/16/2015 Foxendail discovered it   Visit Log

I am sorry I am not writing an individual log for your special trackable.
There were way too many trackables at the GIGA to treat them all appropriately.
Thanks a lot for sharing and always happy caching.
Discovered It 5/16/2015 Frank.e discovered it   Visit Log

Auf dem Giga-Event in Mainz gesehen
Discovered It 5/16/2015 -Stefan- discovered it   Visit Log

Diesen TB, Coin, oder TB Aufkleber habe ich heute auf dem Gutenberg Giga in Mainz gesehen vielen dank fürs zeigen
Discovered It 5/16/2015 hayabusa666 discovered it   Visit Log

Heute auf dem Giga gesehen
Discovered It 5/16/2015 gott18 discovered it   Visit Log

Thank you very much for showing this beautiful trackable.
I have seen it during my stay in the area of Mainz.

Thanks a lot from gott18.
Discovered It 5/16/2015 wengerts_bunny discovered it   Visit Log

Beim Giga in Mainz der Guttenberg Stadt entdeckt! Vielen Dank fürs zeigen und gute Reise mit den besten wünschen aus Unterfranken!
Wer nicht einverstanden ist, dass ich discovere möge den Log BITTE löschen und nicht böse sein! Ich denke jeder muss selbst entscheiden, was für ihn richtig oder falsch ist ;-) Bis bald im Wald
Discovered It 5/16/2015 wengerts_walker discovered it   Visit Log

Beim Giga in Mainz der Guttenberg Stadt entdeckt! Vielen Dank fürs zeigen und gute Reise mit den besten wünschen aus Unterfranken!
Wer nicht einverstanden ist, dass ich discovere möge den Log BITTE löschen und nicht böse sein! Ich denke jeder muss selbst entscheiden, was für ihn richtig oder falsch ist ;-) Bis bald im Wald
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