> From: "McConahy, Ralph" <RMcConahy@jbar.gdscc.nasa.gov> > Subject: RE: Location > Date: Thu, 25 Mar 1999 14:20:42 -0800 > [ ... ] > Here are a couple of tricks: with your arm extended full-length and with your fist closed (with thumb tucked inside your fingers) the width of your fist is about 10 degrees. That's the one I use most, since I can stack closed fists to measure up to higher angles. A whole set of these useful angle estimation "tricks" are described in "NightWatch" by Terence Dickinson. To make a handout for a public star party a couple of years ago, I wrote a short web page intro to alt/az and angle estimation tricks for my astronomy club's site. It's at: http://www.main.org/aas/angles.html Feel free to copy it and improve upon it for your own club or other noncommercial purposes. --Sue Worden (worden@uts.cc.utexas.edu)