Transcript

Lieutenant James Cook used a number of basic instruments to navigate his way around the Pacific Ocean. One of the instruments was a sextant. Here's a sextant from the museum at Kurnell. It has an eyepiece, some mirrors and a swing arm here and each time he wanted to take a reading, he looked through the eyepiece and looked at the horizon and take his reading and this would help him make his accurate charts as he sailed around the world.

Another instrument that James Cook was using onboard the Endeavour was a compass. It looks a bit like a compass that you might see today; North, south, east and west and that would help him determine his directions as he navigated around the Pacific Ocean.

Another instrument used by James Cook was a protractor. As he worked on his charts and maps in the great room a protractor was used and this is an example of a protractor held in the museum at Kurnell.

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