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JMC Shipping Celestial Navigation Calculator Sample Problems Frank Reed
JMC Shipping Celestial Navigation Calculator Sample Problems Frank Reed
JMC Shipping Celestial Navigation Calculator Sample Problems Frank Reed
(delivered
as
pdf,
which
you
may
print).
How's that for motivation? :) Substantial parts of each problem are worked
out for you and included as "hints".
The "practice problems" are divided into four sections A,B,C,D.
A) General:
1) Approximately, what is the value of the "dip of the horizon" for a
navigator who is 5 ft 10 in. tall on a deck which is 7 feet off the water?
2) What is the angular SEMI-diameter of the Sun (how many minutes of
arc)? Approximately what fraction of a degree is that [Hint: it's about a
quarter
of
degree]?
3) How many degrees high is the zenith? What is the normal maximum
readable
angle
on
sextant?
4) what are the four correcions we make to the altitude of the Sun? If you
observe the Sun (Lower Limb) 45 deg high, and your height of eye
is 25 feet, what are the approximate values of those corrections in minutes
of
arc?
You
can
estimate
all
but
one
of
them
B) Latitude at Noon:
1) It is April 10, 2015, and you are sailing off New England aboard your
yacht "Rumline". Your sextant has an index correction of -2.5'. Your height
of eye is 15 feet above the water. You wait for the Sun to reach its
maximum altitude (local noon). Your shadow is pointing north. The
1) It's later in the afternoon on April 10, 2015 aboard the "Rumline"
(continuing from above). You've been sailing south at 5 knots for the past
few hours, and you estimate your current latitude is 40 08' N [Hint:
decimalized that's 40.133]. You take another sight of the Sun (LL as
usual). This time you record the exact UT (or GMT). It is 19:33:15. The
altitude you measure is 4050.5'. The details are the same: IC -2.5', Height
of eye: 15 feet. What is the corrected altitude of the Sun? What is that
decimalized (h)? [Hint: you should get h = 40.985]. We also need the
GHA and Dec of the Sun at 19:33:15. Look up these values in your tables
and then adjust for the time. [Hint: Dec=8.047, GHA = 112.990]. Now
get
out
your
calculator!
We
need
Calculate
Calculate
and
B.
A=sin(h)/cos(Dec)/cos(Lat)
B=tan(Dec)*tan(Lat)
Reverse
[Hint:
(here
the
you
means
sign
should
get
multiply)
of
A=0.866370,
B.
B=-0.119190]
Now what is the local hour angle of the Sun (LHA)? And finally add or
subtract
LHA
and
GHA
to
get
longitude?
GHA=130.762]
get
out
your
Calculate
Calculate
Reverse
calculator!
A=sin(h)/cos(Dec)/cos(Lat)
B=tan(Dec)*tan(Lat)
the
(here
sign
means
of
multiply)
B.
[Hint: you should get A=0.717350 and B=-0.001135 (see the PS below)]
Finally what is your longitude? [Hint: you should be close to 86 30' W].
D) Polaris latitude
It's July 15, 2015. You're some miles (more than two, less than 20) due
north of Provincetown, Cape Cod on your yacht "Rumline" enjoying the
evening twilight following an afternoon of whale-watching. Your friends
have just explained, after a few shots of rum, that you've spelled
"Rhumbline" wrong. So you decide to show off and get your latitude by
shooting the altitude of the North Star with your sextant. You measure its
altitude and find 41 40. Your I.C. is still -2.5' and your height of eye is
still 15 feet. As you measure the North Star's altitude, you note that the
"pointer stars" of the Big Dipper are just about level with and to the left of
it (remember, the pointer stars are the two stars in the Big Dipper on the
end of the bowl, away from the dipper's handle, that "point" at the North
Star). You have your handy "Latitude by Polaris" table from class, so you
hold it up and orient it to match the sky... pointer stars level with North
Star. Then you read off the "RA" number from the bottom of the star chart
directly below Polaris. What number do you find? Next you go to the
Polaris Offset chart and find the corresponding correction [Hint: you
should find +34']. Now make your corrections for IC, dip, refraction [Hint:
-1.2' for refraction], and this Polaris Offset. What do you get for your
latitude? Check: is this north of the latitude of Provincetown?
Take your time working these "practice problems" and if you get them
back to me within ten days (by April 10, 2015) with 75% correct, you'll
get a fancy certificate of completion! And of course, if you have any
questions or need more hints along the way, you can email me.
Frank
Reed
Frank@ReedNavigation.com
Conanicut Island USA
PS: The value for B might look a little "funny" as displayed on your
calculator. If you don't know what the small "-3" implies (it's "scientific
notation"), you can change the display mode on your calculator to make it
go away and display as a more normal-looking decimal. To do that, use the
"MODE" key on the fx-260 calculator. There's a little printed key below
the display that provides hints. With the value for B displayed, if you press
"MODE 7 6", it will be displayed in a format that's more familiar with six
digits after the decimal point. With this display mode activated, you may
notice a little tag that says "FIX" in the top of the display. This means it's
showing a "fixed" number of digits beyond the decimal point rather than
using "scientific notation". To reset the calculator to its normal display
mode, either press the "ON" key which resets everything, or press "MODE
9" to reset only the display mode.