F.W. Wright Senior Lecturer in the Department of Astronomy and Director, Science Education Department

Logbook of the Canton
New Bedford to Australia
1874-78

Navigation has been taught at Harvard since 1718, initially as a way to illustrate the mathematics of spherical geometry. Since then, the teaching of navigation has become more applied and the pedagogies used far more “hands-on.” Astronomy 2 has expanded during the last 25 years to utilize the university’s great collections of instruments, maps, and rare books, like this log from the Bark Canton. These two pages follow the weather and winds experienced while still near the coast. Once leaving sight of land, entries will become less colorful, but still full of meaning: hourly records of course, speed, winds, and calculation of latitude and longitude.

14 L x 9.5 W x 1 Th (in)
F 6870.11. Gift of Daniel B. Fearing, 1915