Researchers: We may have found a fabled sunstone

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

LONDON — LONDON (AP) — Researchers say a rough, whitish crystal recovered from the wreckage of 16th century English warship may be a sunstone, a special kind of mineral believed by some to have helped medieval seafarers navigate the high seas.

Historians have long wondered at the ability of Vikings explorers to travel long stretches of open water. Some say they used transparent calcite crystals — whose properties can allow a skilled sailor to guess the position of the sun during overcast or foggy days — as navigational aids.

One Icelandic legend refers to a "sunstone" used in such a way, but none has ever been discovered in a seafaring context.

French researchers said Thursday they identified one taken from the bottom of the English Channel, potentially lending substance to the legend.

http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/news-science/20130308/EU-Britain-Sunstone/

[Operator 1,927]

I heard about this on NPR, very interesting. They said one could even determine the direction of the sun even on a starlit night.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I heard about this on NPR, very interesting. They said one could even determine the direction of the sun even on a starlit night.

If you have stars, you can easily navigate. Better yet, the stars can tell you your position. Using the sun to determine position is a little more difficult - you need an accurate timepiece, and a way to measure the angle of the sun to the horizon.

[BastillaShan 30]

Interestingly, I just heard of sunstones for the first time on a history channel show called 'Vikings' last week. Fascinating stuff.

And for the record, if you have interest in a fairly good show... check out 'Vikings'

It's a little like Game of Thrones minus sex, magic and dragons.

[X Factor 1,112]

My navigation system helps me navigate, why bother with a sun stone