The Invention of the Sextant

An illustrated inventions story from Wonder Inventions — free to read, with narration.

The Invention of the Sextant — an illustrated inventions story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Inventions.

The Invention of the Sextant — book cover — Wonder Inventions
The Invention of the Sextant — an illustrated inventions story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Inventions.

Page 1

"Kailani, could you grab my phone from the charger?" her mom called from the kitchen. Kailani, perched on the living room sofa, paused her reading. "Sure, Mom!
"Kailani, could you grab my phone from the charger?" her mom called from the kitchen. Kailani, perched on the living room sofa, paused her reading. "Sure, Mom! Wait a second," Kailani said, grabbing the phone. "Who even invented phones? How did people talk to each other far away, way back when?"

"Kailani, could you grab my phone from the charger?" her mom called from the kitchen. Kailani, perched on the living room sofa, paused her reading. "Sure, Mom! Wait a second," Kailani said, grabbing the phone. "Who even invented phones? How did people talk to each other far away, way back when?"

Page 2

Kailani raced to her room, the phone still in hand. Her walls were plastered with science posters, and a telescope stood near the window.
Kailani raced to her room, the phone still in hand. Her walls were plastered with science posters, and a telescope stood near the window. On her bookshelf, a leather-bound book glowed softly – the Magical Invention Encyclopedia. "Time for another adventure!" she exclaimed, grabbing the book. As she opened the heavy cover, swirling light filled the room.

Kailani raced to her room, the phone still in hand. Her walls were plastered with science posters, and a telescope stood near the window. On her bookshelf, a leather-bound book glowed softly – the Magical Invention Encyclopedia. "Time for another adventure!" she exclaimed, grabbing the book. As she opened the heavy cover, swirling light filled the room.

Page 3

Suddenly, Kailani found herself on a bustling ship. Rough waves crashed against the wooden hull, and sailors scrambled to adjust the sails.
Suddenly, Kailani found herself on a bustling ship. Rough waves crashed against the wooden hull, and sailors scrambled to adjust the sails. The air smelled of salt and fish. "Where am I?" Kailani wondered, clutching her notebook. A gruff voice startled her, "Lost, little one? Can't find yer bearings, eh?"

Suddenly, Kailani found herself on a bustling ship. Rough waves crashed against the wooden hull, and sailors scrambled to adjust the sails. The air smelled of salt and fish. "Where am I?" Kailani wondered, clutching her notebook. A gruff voice startled her, "Lost, little one? Can't find yer bearings, eh?"

Page 4

A weathered man with a long beard and a telescope under his arm approached Kailani. "I am Captain John Campbell," he announced.
A weathered man with a long beard and a telescope under his arm approached Kailani. "I am Captain John Campbell," he announced. "And you are?" Kailani told him her name and asked, "What's it like navigating way out here?" Campbell sighed, "It's a guessing game in bad weather! We rely on the stars, but clouds can hide them for days. Many a ship has been lost because of bad calculations."

A weathered man with a long beard and a telescope under his arm approached Kailani. "I am Captain John Campbell," he announced. "And you are?" Kailani told him her name and asked, "What's it like navigating way out here?" Campbell sighed, "It's a guessing game in bad weather! We rely on the stars, but clouds can hide them for days. Many a ship has been lost because of bad calculations."

Page 5

\"There must be a better way!\" Kailani declared. \"Well,\" Captain Campbell said, stroking his beard. \"There's this fellow, John Hadley, back in London.
\"There must be a better way!\" Kailani declared. \"Well,\" Captain Campbell said, stroking his beard. \"There's this fellow, John Hadley, back in London. I hear he's working on a new kind of instrument. Something called a 'sextant'. If it works, it could change everything! He presented it to the Royal Society in 1731 and they published a description of it in May of that same year.

\"There must be a better way!\" Kailani declared. \"Well,\" Captain Campbell said, stroking his beard. \"There's this fellow, John Hadley, back in London. I hear he's working on a new kind of instrument. Something called a 'sextant'. If it works, it could change everything! He presented it to the Royal Society in 1731 and they published a description of it in May of that same year.

Page 6

Suddenly, the scene shifted! They were now in a cluttered workshop filled with tools and diagrams. A man with spectacles perched on his nose was carefully…
Suddenly, the scene shifted! They were now in a cluttered workshop filled with tools and diagrams. A man with spectacles perched on his nose was carefully adjusting a brass instrument. \"Mr. Hadley, I presume?\" Kailani asked politely. John Hadley looked up surprised. \"Indeed! And who might you be?\"

Suddenly, the scene shifted! They were now in a cluttered workshop filled with tools and diagrams. A man with spectacles perched on his nose was carefully adjusting a brass instrument. \"Mr. Hadley, I presume?\" Kailani asked politely. John Hadley looked up surprised. \"Indeed! And who might you be?\"

Page 7

"I'm Kailani! Captain Campbell told me you're inventing something amazing." Hadley smiled. "Indeed! This sextant will allow sailors to measure the angle between…
"I'm Kailani! Captain Campbell told me you're inventing something amazing." Hadley smiled. "Indeed! This sextant will allow sailors to measure the angle between the horizon and a star – even the sun! It works by using mirrors to reflect the image of the star onto the horizon at the same time. Think about that!" He added, "Then they can figure out their latitude with incredible accuracy!

"I'm Kailani! Captain Campbell told me you're inventing something amazing." Hadley smiled. "Indeed! This sextant will allow sailors to measure the angle between the horizon and a star – even the sun! It works by using mirrors to reflect the image of the star onto the horizon at the same time. Think about that!" He added, "Then they can figure out their latitude with incredible accuracy! Before, sailors struggled to determine their position, leading to shipwrecks and lost cargo!"

Page 8

Kailani looked closer. "So, it helps them tell where they are even when the stars aren't clear?" Hadley nodded enthusiastically. "Precisely!
Kailani looked closer. "So, it helps them tell where they are even when the stars aren't clear?" Hadley nodded enthusiastically. "Precisely! Before this, ships could lose 3 degrees of latitude on a voyage, a loss of around 200 miles! With the sextant, we can cut that back to a quarter of a degree or less, losing less than 20 miles! I am but standing on the shoulders of giants, as Isaac Newton said!" he proclaimed, pointing to a diagram of an astrolabe.

Kailani looked closer. "So, it helps them tell where they are even when the stars aren't clear?" Hadley nodded enthusiastically. "Precisely! Before this, ships could lose 3 degrees of latitude on a voyage, a loss of around 200 miles! With the sextant, we can cut that back to a quarter of a degree or less, losing less than 20 miles! I am but standing on the shoulders of giants, as Isaac Newton said!" he proclaimed, pointing to a diagram of an astrolabe.

Page 9

Suddenly, Kailani was back in her room. The glowing encyclopedia lay open on her bed. She grabbed her notebook and scribbled furiously.
Suddenly, Kailani was back in her room. The glowing encyclopedia lay open on her bed. She grabbed her notebook and scribbled furiously. The sextant had revolutionized navigation, saving countless lives and fortunes! Today, GPS and satellites guide ships and planes, but it all started with Hadley's clever invention.

Suddenly, Kailani was back in her room. The glowing encyclopedia lay open on her bed. She grabbed her notebook and scribbled furiously. The sextant had revolutionized navigation, saving countless lives and fortunes! Today, GPS and satellites guide ships and planes, but it all started with Hadley's clever invention.

Page 10

Kailani rushed back to the living room, encyclopedia tucked under her arm. "Mom, Dad! Guess what? The sextant helped sailors know their position so exactly that…
Kailani rushed back to the living room, encyclopedia tucked under her arm. "Mom, Dad! Guess what? The sextant helped sailors know their position so exactly that it opened up the whole world!" she exclaimed. Her dad smiled, "So, thanks to mirrors and angles, people could connect across vast oceans. Amazing!" Kailani grinned. "To be continued!" she said with a wink.

Kailani rushed back to the living room, encyclopedia tucked under her arm. "Mom, Dad! Guess what? The sextant helped sailors know their position so exactly that it opened up the whole world!" she exclaimed. Her dad smiled, "So, thanks to mirrors and angles, people could connect across vast oceans. Amazing!" Kailani grinned. "To be continued!" she said with a wink.

About this story

  • Audience: kids (ages 6–12)

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