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of a circle (60°), hence its name (sextans, sextantis is the Latin word for "one sixth"). Both smaller and larger instruments are (or were) in use: the octant, quintant (or pentant) and the (doubly reflecting) quadrant span sectors of approximately of a circle (45°), of a circle (72°) and of a circle (90°), respectively. All of these instruments may be termed "sextants".

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