I keep reading that lighthouses help sailors 1) be aware of dangers like rocks and reefs, and 2) navigate in the dark. I understand that lighthouses beam a series of flashes that a sailor can see from far away, but I’m not quite sure how seeing a series of flashes in the dark from a single point-source can accomplish point 1 and point 2.
In: 8
With the aid of a map and compass, knowing where the lighthouse is helps pinpoint a location. It is simply a fixed reference point.
It doesn’t make it possible to navigate in the dark but with a precise location, it is much simpler to avoid known dangers like shallow waters or reefs (which are marked on maritime maps)
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