Astrocompass Mark II

The astrocompass was mainly used to determine magnetic variation in the angular difference between an aircraft’s bearing to the magnetic North Pole and the geographic North Pole. Charles Blair used this one on the first trans-polar solo flight in 1951.

Caption:
Its principal purpose was to determine magnetic variation.
Type: Artifact
Image Date: 2012
Credit: National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution
Origin: National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution
Creator: Dane A. Penland
NASM2012-02107
Navigators & Inventors
Navigation Methods
 

nasm2012-02107.jpg

Its principal purpose was to determine magnetic variation.