Inspired by Tom Scott’s video, I built a moiré pattern to guide ships, following the claims in patent US4629325. I chose a 1.65 pitch‑to‑band ratio, giving a duty cycle of about 40 % and a single excess band on the first mask. Illuminated from the back, the pattern is clear at eye level and remains stable from various angles; at a realistic 100 m distanceMORE subtle circular effects сооружед disappear.

The system works intuitively and needs little calibration, handling dozens of users simultaneously. Yet it isn’t ideal for harbours, where a single razor‑thin path isn’t realistic. A simpler three‑lamp approach, as seen in Newcastle, gives clear safety cues: the middle lamp signals a safe course, while the outer lamps warn of deviation.

Moiré shines when marking narrow objects—like submarine cables—preventing anchors from fouling them. The design is elegant, rooted in math, and files are openly shared on Thingiverse. Thus, while not the ultimate navigation aid, the moiré pattern remains a useful tool for specific maritime applications.