Cross Staff & Back Staff Geocoin

Trackable Options
Found this item? Log in.
Print Info Sheet
Owner:
rubecula Send Message to Owner Message this owner
Released:
Friday, July 29, 2016
Origin:
Sachsen, Germany
Recently Spotted:
Unknown Location

This is not collectible.

Use TB59YG6 to reference this item.

First time logging a Trackable? Click here.

Current Goal

There is currently no goal for this item.

About This Item

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. 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.

Gallery Images related to Cross Staff & Back Staff Geocoin

View All 5 Gallery Images

Tracking History (5032mi) View Map

Visited 7/29/2018 Milisch took it to Glarnerland 6 - Unter Strom Glarus, Switzerland - 1.53 miles  Visit Log
Visited 7/28/2018 Milisch took it to Elm "Riesenwald" Glarus, Switzerland - .12 miles  Visit Log
Visited 7/28/2018 Milisch took it to Elm Sportbahnen (Ämpächli) Glarus, Switzerland - 67.16 miles  Visit Log
Retrieve It from a Cache 7/26/2018 Milisch retrieved it from TB-Motel Röösi Solothurn, Switzerland   Visit Log

Und weiter geht die Reise....
Discovered It 7/25/2018 mattisontheway discovered it Solothurn, Switzerland   Visit Log

in einem sichern Plätzchen gesichtet.
Discovered It 7/17/2018 Theumami discovered it Solothurn, Switzerland   Visit Log

In einem TB Hotel an der A1 entdeckt.
Dropped Off 7/15/2018 dijk6jes placed it in TB-Motel Röösi Solothurn, Switzerland - 374.11 miles  Visit Log
  • at TB hotel
Retrieve It from a Cache 6/15/2018 dijk6jes retrieved it from Dagje Dijk6jes Jubileum Jaar 10 Zuid-Holland, Netherlands   Visit Log

let's move with dijk6jes
Dropped Off 6/15/2018 MasHara placed it in Dagje Dijk6jes Jubileum Jaar 10 Zuid-Holland, Netherlands - 26.18 miles  Visit Log
Retrieve It from a Cache 6/15/2018 MasHara retrieved it from Parel van de Bollenstreek. Zuid-Holland, Netherlands   Visit Log

Bij de drop komen wij er achter dat deze nog niet eens is opgepakt.
Bij deze. Gaat gezellig mee op event.
data on this page is cached for 3 mins