Astronomical methods were unreliable for determining longitude from "summary" of Longitude by Dava Sobel
Astronomers had long known that the key to finding longitude at sea lay in the stars. By observing the positions of celestial bodies, sailors could theoretically calculate their exact location on the globe. However, putting this theory into practice was a different story altogether. The main problem with using astronomical methods to determine longitude was the need for a stable platform from which to make accurate observations. This was virtually impossible on a rocking ship in the middle of the ocean. The motion of the waves made it difficult to keep a telescope steady, leading to errors in measurement that could throw off the entire calculation. Another challenge was the fact that many of the instruments used by astronomers...
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