Definition of "octants" [octants]

• Plural form of octant. (noun)

Wiktionary.org : Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

• "Besides the lunar situations to which the above observations refer, attention must be paid also to the fourth day before new and full moon, which are called the octants* At these times the weather is. inclined to changes; and it may be easily seen, that these will follow at the next lunar situation."
• "Such appeared the terminal line of the moon when in one of her octants."
• "The ends are to be divided off on their circumference with the compass into eight parts, by quadrants and octants, and let the lines be so placed that, if the beam is laid in a horizontal position, the lines on the two ends may perfectly correspond with each other, and intervals of the size of one eighth part of the circumference of the beam may be laid off on the length of it."