Year of the

CHARLES
W. MORGAN

Common Core State Standard: ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.4 • ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.5• ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.6 • ELA-Literacy.RI.5.1 • ELA-Literacy.RI.5.2 • ELA-Literacy.RI.5.3

Sailing the Celestial Sea Written by Brian Koehler, Mystic Seaport Treworgy Planetarium
In past articles, we have explored the history of the Charles W. Morgan; the who, what, when, where, and why of whaling; and how our perceptions of whales and whaling have changed over
time. In this final installment, we will examine how a vessel like the Morgan would find its way across the oceans, and find its way back home when the voyage was concluded.

In the 19th century, long before the advent of GPS and modern navigation technology, ships relied on a series of tools, called nautical instruments, to help them find their way. To ensure that
they remained on course, the officers of the Morgan would use these tools to pinpoint their location on the Earth, measured using a series of coordinates called latitude (how far north or south
of the Equator you are) and longitude (how far east or west of the Prime Meridian you are). Once their location was determined, a chart would help them plot their course, and a compass
would show them the direction in which they were heading. A chronometer provided the Morgan with an accurate timepiece, since traditional clocks of the time were designed with pendulums
that would be thrown off by the rolling waves of the open seas. Finally, angle-measuring instruments called quadrants or sextants were used. In order for all of the tools of the time to work
properly, one more element was needed… the stars!

By taking precise measurements of the position of stars at specific times on specific dates, captains and mates were able to determine their precise location on the globe. In the northern hemi-
sphere, they could locate Polaris, the North Star, within the constellation of Ursa Minor (the “little bear”). The officers would then use their quadrant or sextant to measure the angle between
Polaris and the horizon. The measurement of this angle equals the ship’s current latitude, how far north of the Equator the vessel would be. At the North Pole, Polaris can be found 90* north
of the horizon, and right at the Equator it is 0* north of the horizon. However, below the Equator in the southern hemisphere, Polaris cannot be seen (it is below the horizon in this part of the
world) and so other stars were needed for navigation there.

Provided that skies were clear enough to take celestial measurements, officers would document their latitude and longitude daily in the official records of the voyage – the logbook of the
Charles W. Morgan. Examining these logbooks can reveal the impact of navigation and the stars on the crew. For example, in May of 1886, the Morgan was on her way home from her 12th
whaling voyage, much of which was spent in the southern Pacific Ocean. On May 19, 1886 the vessel was located at 3* north latitude, and the vessel’s official logbook entry for the day contains
the following passage: “Today has been very fine with the wind at N-NE most of the time but very light. Saw the N. Star for the first time.” Sailing all around the world, the whalers aboard
the Morgan bore witness to the ever-changing position of the stars in the night sky. After years away from their families, crossing the equator and sighting the North Star must have been a
welcome sight to the crew, as it may have sent the message to all aboard that home was not so far away.

Did You Know

• While there is no star bright enough to be considered the “South Star”, navigation in the
southern hemisphere is aided by a constellation called Crux, commonly referred to as the
Connections Literature, Art & Music

• The Mystic Seaport Museum boasts the second-largest collection of nautical instru-
“Southern Cross”. The longer face of this cross-shaped formation of stars points in the general ments in the world. Visit: http://educators.mysticseaport.org/sets/navigation/ to see
direction of celestial south, and thus could be used in similar ways to Polaris in the northern examples of the compasses, chronometers, sextants, and other tools in the Museum’s
hemisphere. collection.

• While our sun does not rise precisely due east nor set precisely due west, the familiar
constellation of Orion the Hunter contains a very special star that does. Mintaka, which is
the upper-most of Orion’s three “belt stars”, does appear to rise precisely due east and set
precisely due west, and so watching this star rise and/or set
can reveal the cardinal compass directions of north, south,
east, and west.
• Celestial navigation is not a skill of the past. These tech-
niques are still used today by organizations such as the United
States Coast Guard. Since modern GPS technology can fail
without warning, simple navigation skills are crucial even for
recreational boaters, to ensure proper boater safety.
• The difference between sextants and quadrants? A sextant’s arc measures up to
one-sixth of a circle (60*), while a quadrant can measure up to one-fourth of a circle
(90*). Have you ever used a protractor in math class? That plastic semi-circle with
angle markings on it accomplishes nearly the same task as a sextant or a quadrant!
To build your own quadrant using a protractor, drinking straw, and other simple
materials, visit: http://educators.mysticseaport.org/static/connections/classroom_pdfs/
quadrant_activity.pdf.
• The Treworgy Planetarium at Mystic Seaport is about to begin its 2014 Summer
Evening Series. This series of talks on advanced topics in astronomy is a great way to
learn more about the stars, astronomy, and science in general! For more information,
visit: http://www.mysticseaport.org/event/planetarium-summer-evening-series/.