Celestial Navigation Exercises For Class and Home Study 2021

CELESTIAL NAVIGATION EXERCISES
for Class and Home Study
Dominique F. Prinet
www.MarineNavigationBooks.com
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Copyright © 2016 by Dominique F. Prinet

Second Revision - February 2021
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However, the sample sight-reduction work forms given in Appendices A1-1 to A1-7 may be used
without restriction.
The Nautical Almanac tables are updated and copyrighted annually by the United Kingdom
Hydrographic Services. The Sight Reduction Tables for Air Navigation, Pub. No. 249,
are published by the USGS National Imagery and Mapping Agency, and printed by the
US Government Printing Office.
ISBN
978-1-4602-8069-0 (Paperback)
978-1-4602-8070-6 (eBook)
1. Transportation, Navigation
Distributed to the trade by The Ingram Book Company

Celestial Navigation Exercises for Class and Home Study was designed to facilitate
the work of instructors using the free PowerPoint slide presentation available at
MarineNavigationBooks.com. This exercise manual, available in hard copy and in PDF
format for tablets, reproduces the questions posed at regular intervals throughout the slide
presentation; it provides the work-forms guiding the calculations, and the solutions.
Students taking a course from an instructor who follows the slide presentation will
normally have the associated course book Celestial Navigation using the Sight Reduction
Tables Pub. No. 249. In order to facilitate the download process, the free version of the
exercise manual (available for download from MarineNavigationBooks.com), includes
neither the Almanac nor the Sight Reduction Tables required for the calculations because
these tables are identical to the ones in the course book.
This complete version of the exercise manual, with all the required data tables in
Appendix, will thus be useful mostly to navigators who do not have the course book but
wish to practice on their own, as well as to students who follow the presentation and have
the course book but do not wish to download and print 240 pages of questions,
answers and appendices.
Acknowledgments
I am grateful to the many students who offered valuable suggestions over the years and in
particular to Steven Buchi, Eng., who verified all the answers.
I would also like to express my appreciation to Linda Mitsui, Graphic Designer,
who has spent countless hours setting up the text, tables and graphics.
Celestial Navigation Exercises iii

CELESTIAL NAVIGATION EXERCISES
for Class and Home Study
Table of Contents
The exercises are for the year 2003. The relevant Almanac and Sight Reduction Tables are reproduced
in the Appendix. These tables are the same as those given in the Appendix of the book “Celestial
Navigation using the Sight Reduction Tables Pub. No. 249”.
QUESTIONS
1. Class Exercises
Session 1: Sextant Corrections (Exercises 1-3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 1
Session 2: Time; Conversions between arcs and Time; GHA and Dec (4-10). . . . . . . . . . . p. 3
Session 3: Interpolations of GHA & Dec; LHA; Lat. by Noon Sight (11-15). . . . . . . . . . . p. 9
Session 4: Sight Reduction Tables (16-19). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 13
Session 5: Review Exercises on the Sun; Plotting (20-28) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 21
Session 6: Twilight; Moon (29-33). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 29
Session 7: Planets; Stars; Selected Stars; Polaris (34-40) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 33
Session 8: Review Exercises, entire course (41-58). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 41
2. Specific Home Exercises:
Home Exercises 59-67 following Session 3:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 55
Home Exercises 68-69 following Session 4:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 65
3. Inclusive Home Review Exercises:
LOPs from three sights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 71
ANSWERS
Answers to Class Exercises 1-58 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 99
Answers to Specific Home Exercises 59-69. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 139
Answers to Inclusive Home-Review Exercises 70-74 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 153
continued...
Celestial Navigation Exercises v

Table of Contents
APPENDICES
Appendix 1: Sight Reduction Work Forms

A1-1 Sun. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 181
A1-2 Noon Sight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 182
A1-3 Moon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 183
A1-4 Planet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 184
A1-5 Star. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 185
A1-6 Selected Stars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 186
A1-7 Latitude by Polaris. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 187
Appendix 2: Almanac Tables

A2-1 Altitude Correction Tables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 191
A2-2 to A2-14
GHA and Dec- daily, Jan 28, 2013 to Nov 20, 2013. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 192
A2-15 Conversion of Arc to Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 205
A2-16 to A2-26
Conversion of Arc to Time; Increment and Corrections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 206
A2-27, A2-28
Polaris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 217
A2-29, A2-30
Moon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 219
Appendix 3: Sight Reduction Tables from Pub. No. 249

A3-1 to A3-15
Latitude 11º to 50º. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 223
A3-16 Table 5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 238
Appendix 4: Selected Stars from Pub. No. 249, Vol. 1

A4-1, A4-2
Latitude 11º N and 39º N. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 241
vi Celestial Navigation Exercises

Session 1 of the Slide Presentation
Class Exercises 1-3
Chapters 1 and 2 of the Celestial Navigation book
Sextant Corrections
Celestial Navigation Exercises 1

Session 1, Class 1-3
1. Sextant corrections, index error
Sextant altitude Hs 27° 45.0' 59° 13.0' 07° 23.7
Index error 21.0' Off 28.0' On 36.4' Off
Hs corrected for
index error
“On the arc”: – ° ' ° ' ° '
“Off the arc”: + . . .
2. Sextant corrections, correction for Dip
Sextant altitude Hs
27° 05.7' 59° 03.0' 07° 23.2'
corrected for index error
Height of eye 40 m 4.8 m 6 feet
' ' '

DIP (–) – . – –
. .
° ' ° ' ° '
Apparent altitude Ha
. . .
3. Sextant corrections, main correction
Body observed Sun, UL Sun, LL Sun, UL
Time of year October June March
Apparent altitude Ha 20° 09.1' 49° 53.9' 17° 06.1'
Main correction, for

the month and Ha: ' ' '
LL + UL – . . .
° ' ° ' ° '
Observed altitude Ho
. . .
2 Celestial Navigation Exercises

Class Exercises 4-10
Chapters 3 and 4 (beginning) of the Celestial Navigation book
Measures of time; Conversions arcs time;

Greenwich Hour Angle;
Declination for round UTC hours

Session 2, Class Exercises 4-10
4. Sextant corrections, all corrections combined

Calculate the “Observed Altitude Ho” of the sun above the horizon, after all sextant corrections.
Note the corrections during summer or winter months, and for Upper or Lower Limb.
Body observed Sun, LL Sun, UL Sun, LL
Time of year April July November
Sextant altitude Hs 37° 59.1' 49° 03.0' 17° 56.6'
Index error 2.7' Off 8.1' On 4.5' Off
Height of eye 2.9 m 3.3 m 9.0 feet
Hs corrected for
index error
“On the arc”: – ° ' ° ' ° '
“Off the arc”: + . . .
DIP ' ' '

– – –
. . .
Apparent altitude Ha ° ' ° ' ° '

. . .
Main correction,
for the month and Ha: ' ' '
LL + UL – . . .
Observed altitude Ho ° ' ° ' ° '

. . .

5. Corrections to the chronometer

Chronometer 1: 01:39:24; 02 min 28 s fast
Chronometer 2: 22:09:19; 12 min 39 s fast
Chronometer 3: 18:53:19; 08 min 47 s slow
CHRONOMETER 1
h min s
CRONO. SLOW +
CORRECTION FAST – min s
UTC TIME
h min s
CHRONOMETER 2
h min s
CRONO. SLOW +
UTC TIME
h min s
CHRONOMETER 3
h min s
CRONO. SLOW +
UTC TIME
h min s
6. Almanac table “Conversion of Arc to Time”, to convert arcs

(angles) to times
A. Determine the time difference corresponding to the angle (arc) between the meridian of
Greenwich (longitude: 0°) and that of the boat. This time difference represents the time it
takes for the sun to travel from one meridian to the other at 15° of longitude per hour.
Boat longitude 123° 08.25' W 068° 28.75' W 041° 37.50' E

Hours and min
: : 00 s : : 00 s : : 00 s
for the ° of angle
min and s
00 : : s 00 : : s 00 : : s
for the ' of angle
Total time difference
: : s : : s : : s
Greenwich to boat

7. Almanac pages “Increments and Corrections”, to convert times to arcs

(i.e. to angles)
Knowing the time it takes for the sun to travel from one meridian to another, we can calculate the
angular distance between the meridians, i.e. the difference in longitude between the two meridians.
UTC time of sun’s

crossing of boat meridian 19 : 31 : 18 23 : 08: 12 01 : 23: 49
(noon sight)
UTC time of sun’s crossing
of Greenwich meridian 12 : 16 : 00 11: 48: 00 12 : 09: 00
(previous UTC day)
(Almanac)
Time for sun’s travel from
: : : : : :
one meridian to the other
° of longitude ° ° °
for the hours only 00.0' 00.0' 00.0'
° and ' of longitude for the ° ' ° ' ° '
minutes and seconds of time . . .
Total = difference in ° ' ° ' ° '
longitude . . .

8. Prediction of time (UTC) when the sun will cross the boat meridian
Knowing, from the Almanac daily pages, the UTC time when the sun crosses the meridian of Greenwich, and given the
longitude of the boat, we can determine the UTC time when the sun will cross the meridian of the boat.
Time of sun’s crossing of the Greenwich

meridian (from the Almanac) 12 : 09 : 28 s 11 : 47 : 46 s 12 : 13 : 11 s
Longitude of the boat 123° 12.50' W 65° 28.75' E 18° 49.25' W
1. Time it will take the sun to travel from
Greenwich to the boat, or from the boat to
Greenwich, for the ° only of boat longitude : : 00 s : : 0 0 s : : 00 s
2. Additional time it will take the
sun to travel because of the '
(and fractions of ') of the boat longitude + 00 : : s + 00 : : s + 00 : : s
3. Total time between Greenwich and the boat
longitude : : s : : s : : s
4. Time of sun crossing of the Greenwich
meridian (UTC) 12 : 09 : 28 s 11 : 47 : 46 s 12 : 13 : 11 s
5. T
otal time from 3.
(+ if boat long W; – if boat long E) + + +
– : : s – : : s – : : s
UTC time when the sun will cross
the boat meridian (4 + or – 5) : : s : : s : : s

9. Meridian and zone times; determination of longitude

1. What is the UTC time when the sun crosses the meridian of Greenwich, July 1, 2003?__________________________
2. What is the meridian time when the sun crosses the meridian of Vancouver? _________________________________
3. On what meridian is the “zone time” based for the province?______________________________________________
4. When, on July 1, 2003, the sun is at its highest point over English Bay (long: 123º 10.5' W), what is the zone time
in BC?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
5. When it is 13:32 in BC (zone time) on that day, what time is it along the meridian of Greenwich?_________________
6. Captain Vancouver sets his watch to read 12:00:00 when the sun is at its zenith over English Bay February 9, 1793
(Long. 123º 10.5' W). Exploring the West Coast of Vancouver Island, five days later, he notes that the sun is at its zenith
at 12:14:05. He knows that his chronometer loses 1s per day. What name does he give to the Sound which he has just
discovered?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
10. GHA and Dec from the Almanac for the sun’s GP (on the hour only)
Read the coordinates of the sun’s GP on the Almanac (GHA and Dec) for the days and times (UTC).
Day and time April 19 June 30 Oct 29
Time (UTC) 14:00:00 05:00:00 17:00:00
GHA ° ' ° ' ° '

. . .
Dec ° ' ° ' ° '

. . .

Chapters 4 (continued), 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the Celestial Navigation book
Interpolation of GHA and Dec for Exact Times of Sights;

Local Hour Angle; Latitude by Noon Sight

11. GHA and Dec from the Almanac for the sun’s GP (interpolation for min & s)
Read the coordinates of the sun’s GP on the Almanac (GHA and Dec) for the hours, and interpolate
for minutes and seconds of time.
Day and time Feb 02 July 01 Oct 29
Time (UTC) 13 : 15 : 25 s 05 : 06 : 13 s 17 : 28 : 33 s
° ' ° ' ° '

GHA for hours only
. . .
Increment of GHA for ° ' ° ' ° '
minutes and sec + . + . + .
° ' ° ' ° '
Total GHA
. . .
Dec for hours only ° ' ° ' ° '
(N or S) . . .
(d + or – in '/ h) (d = '/ h) (d = '/ h) (d = '/ h)
Increment of Dec ' ' '

for min . . .
° ' ° ' ° '
Total Dec
. . .
12. Local Hour Angle

Given the longitude of the boat, and the GHA of the sun, is the sun east or west of us? In other
words, are we taking the sight in the morning or afternoon? How many degrees of longitude is the
sun’s GP away from out boat, measured westward, i.e. the Local Hour Angle (LHA).
Note: LHA = distance of from the boat longitude to the sun’s GP, counted westward.
If boat longitude is West, LHA = GHA – boat longitude;

If boat longitude is East, LHA = GHA + boat longitude.
Add 360º to the GHA in order to allow the subtraction of the west longitude of the boat if required.
Remove 360º from the result if the addition of the east longitude of the boat results in a number larger
than 360.

GHA 158° 52.4' 19° 23.8' 205° 42.6'
GHA (add 360° if ° ' ° ' ° '

required) . . .
+ longitude E ° ' ° ' ° '
– longitude W . . .
LHA = Total (subtract ° ' ° ' ° '
360° if required) . . .
AM or PM
13. Latitude by noon sights

Determine the boat latitude knowing the maximum sun altitude of the sun over the horizon (Ho
max, sun crossing of boat meridian), and the Dec of the sun at the time of sight (calculated from
the Almanac).
At noon (boat-meridian time), the sun is at its zenith when it crosses the observer’s meridian.
A sight on the sun at that instant allows the calculation of the latitude from the sun altitude Ho
max: the latitude is the Zenith Distance (ZD = 90° – Ho) plus or minus the Declination of the
sun, depending on whether the sun’s declination is North or South of the equator. If the boat is
between the equator and the sun’s GP, then the latitude is Dec – ZD.
Dec & Lat. “same name” Dec & Lat. “contrary names”
Lat. > Dec Lat. < Dec (Tropics)
Lat. = Dec + ZD Lat. = Dec – ZD Lat. = ZD – Dec
Approximate boat latitude 50° N 28° N 10° S

Sun’s Declination from
21° 18.3' N 12° 24.0' S 21° 23.0' S
Almanac: Dec:
90° = 89° 60.0' 89° 60.0' 89° 60.0'
Measured sun’s altitude
61° 32.4' 49° 45.9' 78° 45.2'
Ho
Zenith distance ZD = 90° ° ' ° ' ° '
– Ho . . .
Boat latitude =
“Dec + ZD” or
“Dec – ZD” or ° ' ° ' ° '
“ZD – Dec” . . .

14. Approximate latitude by Polaris

Even without the several small corrections from the Polaris Almanac tables, a sight on Polaris can give
us our latitude, with an error of, at the most, 1.5°: Lat. = Ho.
Altitude of Polaris,
after correction of all
sextant and sight errors:
Ho = 49° 59.5' 68° 71.2' 89° 00.0'
Latitude of observer ° ' ° ' ° '

. . .
15. Approximate longitude by noon sights, knowing the time when the sun crossed the
boat meridian
Knowing the UTC time of passage of the sun over the Greenwich meridian (from the Almanac), and
having established the approximate UTC time of passage of the sun over our local meridian from a
series of sights of the sun before, during and after noon (boat-meridian time), we can calculate our
approximate longitude:

of Greenwich meridian 12 : 16 11: 48 12 : 09
(Almanac)
of boat meridian (estimated
19 : 26 22 : 33 01 : 54
from a series of sextant
sights)
Difference in time (bigger

: : :
number minus smaller one)
° of longitude for the hours ° ° °

° and ' of longitude for the ° ' ° ' ° '
minutes of time . . .
Total = “boat longitude”
(E if local noon is earlier; ° ' ° ' ° '
W if local noon is later) . . .

Chapters 9, 10 and 11 of the Celestial Navigation book
Sight Reduction Tables

16. Azimuth Angle of the sun “Z” (bearing of the sun “Zn”), and calculated altitude
“Hc” from the Sight Reduction Tables Pub. No. 249 (without any interpolation).
Given an assumed latitude (in round degrees), a Declination of the sun (also in round degrees), and a
LHA (also in round degrees) between the assumed longitude of the boat and the sun meridian (GHA),
we can read, in the Sight Reduction Tables, the azimuth “Z” of the sun, and calculate its bearing
“Zn”. We can also read the calculated altitude “Hc” that the sun would have if we were exactly at our
assumed position.
Assume that the sun crosses the meridian of Greenwich at exactly 12:00 each day. This allows the
calculation of the sun’s GHA without the use of the Almanac tables.
Assumed latitude 49° N 42° N 40° S
Date of sight 22 June 22 September 22 December
Declination of the sun

° ° °
(approximate, in round degrees) 00' 00' 00'
“Same name” or “Contrary name”?
UTC time of the sun sight 4 : 0 0 ' 1 7 : 0 0 ' 2 0 : 0 0 '

Greenwich Hour Angle of the sun ° ° °
00' 00' 00'
Assumed longitude of the boat 060° E 015° W 135° W
Local Hour Angle (angle between
the meridians of the boat and of the
° ° °
sun) 00' 00' 00'
Hc for the ° of Dec ° ' ° ' ° '
180° or 360° if needed (see “N. Lat.”

& “S. Lat.” cases below) ° ° °
00' 00' 00'

Azimuth angle Z +/– ° ° °
00' 00' 00'

Sun bearing Zn ° ° °
00' 00' 00'
N. Lat.: If LHA greater than 180°............. Zn = Z

If LHA less than 180°.................. Zn = 360° – Z
S. Lat.: If LHA greater than 180°............. Zn = 180° – Z

If LHA less than 180°.................. Zn = 180° + Z

17. Bearing of the sun "Z" (sun's azimuth “Zn”), and calculated altitude “Hc” from
the Sight Reduction Tables Pub. No. 249 (with interpolation for the ' of Dec).
Given an assumed latitude (in round degrees), and a Local Hour Angle (also in round degrees) between
the assumed meridian of the boat and the sun meridian, we can read, in the Sight Reduction Tables,
the azimuth “Z” of the sun; then calculate the bearing “Zn” of the sun; and calculate the altitude “Hc”
that the sun would have if we were exactly at our assumed position. By comparing Hc with Ho (actual
altitude of the sun, measured with the sextant), we can tell how far off we are from our assumed
position. This is the Marcq Saint Hilaire method.
Assumed latitude 42° N 49° N 49° N

Declination of the sun for the
11° 28.3' S 19° 54.8' S 21° 09.1' N
exact time of the sight
“Same name” or “Contrary
name”?
Local Hour Angle
(between the boat and sun 43° 325° 292°
meridians)
° ' ° ' ° '
1. Hc for the ° of Dec
. . .
2. Change in ’of Hc for each ° + + +
of Dec d = + /– ( '/° ) – ( '/° ) – ( '/° ) – ( '/° )
3. Interpolation of Hc for ' of
Dec (Table 5, last page of + ' + ' + '
– – –
HO 249)
° ' ° ' ° '
Total Hc (1 + 3)

180° or 360° if needed
(see “N. Lat.” & “S. Lat.” cases ° ° °
below) 00' 00' 00'
Azimuth angle Z ° ° °
+/– 00' 00' 00'
° ° °
Sun bearing (azimuth) Zn
00' 00' 00'

If LHA less than 180°.................. Zn = 360°– Z
S. Lat.: If LHA greater than 180°............. Zn = 180°– Z


18. Choices of “Assumed Lat.” and “Assumed Long.” to simplify calculations using the
Sight Reduction Tables Pub. No. 249
Given a DR latitude, we can chose our assumed latitude as the nearest latitude in round degrees.
We can chose our assumed longitude in such a way that the Local Hour Angle (angle between the
assumed meridian of the boat and the sun meridian) is a round number of degrees:
If the boat is WEST of the Greenwich meridian (west longitude), LHA = GHA-Assumed
Boat Longitude. We need to choose, for our assumed longitude, the same number of minutes
than in the GHA, since the minutes will cancel out by subtraction.
In the case of longitude EAST, LHA = GHA + Assumed Boat Longitude. We need to
choose, for our assumed longitude, a number of minutes equal to (60' – minutes of GHA):
the minutes will cancel out by addition.
In either case, the degrees of assumed boat longitude may have to be adjusted by 1 (up or down) so
that the assumed position is as close as possible as the DR.
DR coordinates: latitude 49° 28.3' N 45° 54.8' N 21° 09.1' S

longitude 123° 19.7' W 009° 12.4' E 146° 51.1' W
Assumed latitude ° 00' N ° 00' N ° 00' S
Greenwich Hour Angle (at
011° 37.2' 219° 23.1' 321° 09.1'
time of sight)
Add 360° to GHA if
required to allow subtracting ° ' ° ' ° '
the assumed longitude . . .
Assumed longitude
For W Long,
use the ' of GHA
For E Long, ° ' ° ' ° '
use “60 – ' of GHA” . W . E . W
° ° °
Local Hour Angle
00' 00' 00'

If LHA less than 180°.................. Zn = 360°– Z
S. Lat.: If LHA greater than 180°............. Zn = 180°– Z


19. Review exercise

From the Sight Reduction Tables Pub. No 249, we can determine the bearing of the sun
“Zn" and calculated altitude “Hc”. By comparing Hc with our observed altitude Ho, we can
calculate by how much the assumed arc of circle of position should be moved (Marcq Saint
Hilaire method).
Sight No: # 19
DR latitude 48° 45.3' N
DR longitude 123° 03.9' W
Sun’s GHA 78° 26.5'
Sun’s Dec (corrected) 22° 35.3' N
Observed altitude Ho 46° 05.2'
Find the Local Hour Angle LHA; the coordinates of the assumed position, the computed altitude
Hc; the azimuth angle Z; the bearing of the sun Zn; and the intercept (“Towards” or “Away from”
the sun’s GP).
Use the following work forms, with a blank globe, and the pre-calibrated blank Mercator charts.

19. Sight Reduction Tables: Intercept, and Bearing Zn (“Azimuth”) of the Sun
Calculations
Sun’s GHA (Almanac, Daily pages); LHA
DR LAT N º ' º '

1 15 Sun’s GHA .
S .
DR LONG E º ' + 3 6 0° 00 .0
2 . 15 + 360° if required to allow º '
W 16
subtraction in 18 .
ASSUMED LONG º from (2)

17 [ ' in 16] if long W W–
º '
[60' – ' in 16] if long E E+ .
LOCAL HOUR ANGLE º
18
16 + or – 17 0 0 . 0'
Subtract 360° if LHA > 360° – 3 6 0º 0 0 . 0'
19 Copy LHA to 23
Sight Reduction Tables HO 249
LHA (total in 18 above, minus º

23
360° if LHA > 360°) 0 0 . 0'
ASSUMED LAT N º
24
from DR in 1, rounded off S 0 0 . 0'
DEC CORRECTED N º '
25
S .
COMPUTED ALT Hc
for 23, 24 & 25; same or
26
contrary; for DEC ° only. º '
Note d ( + / – ) in 27, & Z in 31 .0
d (+ / – ' per ° of Dec)
27 CORR’N to Hc for DEC ' + '
table 5 (back of book), for ' in 25 – .0
HC CORRECTED for ' of DEC º '
N. Lat.: { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = Z 28
in 25 .0
{ LHA < 180°, …………Zn = 360 – Z º '
29 OBS. ALT Ho .
S. Lat.: { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = 180 – Z
{ LHA < 180°, …………Zn = 180 + Z INTERCEPT Ho > Hc: T
30 T/A
(28 – 29 or 29 – 28) Ho < Hc: A .
360º 180º
31 N. LAT Z º S. LAT Z º
32 Zn º Zn º

19.
Plotting


Chapters 1-11 of the Celestial Navigation book
Review of the Sun; Plotting

20. Interpolate GHA for the exact time of the sight

Sight taken on April 21, 2003, at 06:21:33 UTC.
1. Estimate the approximate GHA of the sun. ________________________________________________________
2. Calculate the exact GHA of the sun. ____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
21. Interpolate Dec for the exact time of the sight
Sight taken on August 22, 2003, at 14:06:18 UTC.
1. Estimate the approximate Dec of the sun. _______________________________________
2. Calculate the exact Dec of the sun. _______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
22. Calculate the LHA
1. B
oat at 120º 18.3' W 2. Boat at 147º 58.2' E
Sun’s GHA at 105º 13.2' W Sun’s GHA at 255º 08.9' W
LHA? LHA?
________________________________ ______________________________________
_________________________________ ______________________________________
_________________________________ ______________________________________
_________________________________ ______________________________________
_________________________________ ______________________________________
23. Read Hc and Z; calculate Zn (no interpolation)

Boat Lat.: 39º N
Dec of the sun: 13º N
LHA: 301º
1. During what months of the year would the sight have been taken? _____________________________________________________
2. Was this a morning or afternoon sight? ____________________________________________________________________________________
3. What was the sun’s exact altitude Hc over the horizon at the time of sight?____________________________________________
4. What was the sun’s azimuth Z? _____________________________________________________________________________________________
5. What was the sun’s bearing Zn? ____________________________________________________________________________________________

24. Interpolate Hc for the specific Dec at the time of sight

Boat Lat.: 49º N
Dec of the sun: 19º 15' S
LHA: 034º
What is the exact altitude of the sun (Hc) at the time of sight? _________________
25. Plot a Mercator chart for the location of the boat

Prepare a Mercator chart centered on 40º N, 141º W, with the parallels one degree apart.
26. Plot a morning sight

UTC date: 04 July 2003
Log: 1,350 NM
Course: 250° T
Speed: approx. 5 kn (use the log to determine the exact distance travelled)
DR position: 40° 17.0' N; 140° 08.4' W
Time of sight: 17 h 06 min 37 s UTC
Chrono error: slow, 0 min 42 s
Body: Sun LL
Sextant Alt: Hs = 33° 45.3'
Index error: on the arc, 4.8'
Height of eye: 3.1 m
Draw the LOP at 17 h 07 min
27. Plot a noon sight

Log: 1,376 NM
Course: 250° T
Speed: approx. 5 kn (use the log to determine the exact distance travelled)
DR position: 40° 12.0' N; 140° 28.0' W
Body: Sun UL
Index error: off the arc, 3.5'
Height of eye: 12.0 ft
Draw the noon LOP; mark the noon fix, by advancing the morning LOP.

26.
Calculations

26, 27 and 28.

Plotting

27.
Calculations

28. Plotting an afternoon sight

Log: 1,409 NM
Course: 250° T
Speed: approx. 5 kn (Use the log to determine the exact distance travelled.)
DR position: 39° 53.8' N; 141° 03.2' W
Time of sight: 03 h 05 min 24 s UTC
Chrono error: slow, 0 min 42 s
Body: Sun LL
Draw the LOP at 03 h 06 min; mark the 03 h 06 min fix by advancing the noon LOP (latitude line).

28.
Calculations

Class Exercises 29 - 33
Chapters 12 and 13 of the Celestial Navigation book
Twilight; Moon

29. Twilight
Twilights times for sunset, Nov. 18, 2003, boat at 47° 38.2' N , 125° 18.7' W .
a) At boat latitude, along the Greenwich meridian (or along the boat meridian, using the boat-meridian
time): Almanac Times
Latitude Sunset Civil Twilight Nautical Twilight
At this Lat. #1, on Greenwich meridian 45° N : : :
At this Lat. #2, on Greenwich meridian 50° N : : :
Difference for 5° of Lat. : : :
Difference for 1° of Lat. : : :

Difference for boat ° of Lat. above or
: : :
below Lats. #1 or 2
Twilight times for an observer at the boat

latitude, on the Greenwich meridian
(Note: twilight times for an observer on
the boat are the same if the boat clock is

set at the local (boat) meridian time)
: : :
b) Using the times applicable to the time zone: Zone times
Sunset Civil Twilight Nautical Twilight

° ' ° ' ° '
Boat longitude
. . .
Nearest meridian at the center of the time-zone (every 15º ° ' ° ' ° '
from Greenwich) . . .
Difference in longitude between “boat meridian” and ° ' ° ' ° '
“meridian at the center of the time zone” . . .
Time for sun travel between the two meridians (conversion of
: : :
arc to time)
Twilight times for an observer at the boat latitude on the
: : :
Greenwich meridian (directly from table in a)
Add or remove the time for the sun travel, to obtain the
: : :
zone-times for the twilights
c) When would you take a sight on stars or planets? __________________

30. Moon observed altitude Ho

Moon, April 19, 2003; UTC 12:14:35. Assume a measured sextant altitude Hs on LL = 31°18.0',
after corrections for index error & Dip, but before the correction specific to the moon. Ho?
Horizontal Parallax “HP” '

for April 19, 12:00 Z .
MOON, LL ° '
Measured sextant altitude after corrections Hs = .
Apparent altitude Ha for Hs = 31°18.0' '
(“Altitude Correction Table – Moon”, top table): + .
Parallax for LL, given HP from above '
(“Altitude Correction Table – Moon”, lower table): + .
Remove 30' for an UL sight
° '
Ho for the moon at 12:14:35
.
31. Moon GHA

Moon, April 19, 2003; UTC 12:14:35. GHA?
MOON
GHA for 12:00 ° '
(Almanac page for April 19) .
Increment for 14 min 35s ° '
(Inc. & Corr. for 14 min & 35s, moon column) + .
Adjustment for actual rotation of the moon,
slightly above the minimum of 14°19'/hr '
“v” = '/hr + .
° '
Total GHA for the moon, at 12:14:35 (sum)
.

32. Moon Declination

Moon, April 19, 12:14:35 UTC. Dec?
MOON
Dec for 12:00 ° '
(Almanac page for April 19) .
Increment rate for Dec, per hour, around 12:00
“d” = '/h
Increment in Dec for 15 min, using “d” above in + '
“Inc. & Corr.” table for 15 min _ .
Total Declination for the moon around 12:14 UTC ° '

.
33. Moon, complete calculations: Ho + GHA + Dec

Moon, July 04, 2003; time of sight: 20: 20: 45 UTC; Ha = 31° 48.0' on UL, after all corrections for
index error and for Dip, but before all the corrections specific to the moon.
Moon altitude & corrections Moon GHA

(end of Almanac, Alt Corr. Tables for Moon) (Almanac, Daily pages)
Time of sight (after GHA of the moon º '
5 : : 15
corrections) UTC For that day, & hours in (5) .
UL º ' MAIN INCREMENT in GHA
10 '
APPARENT ALT. Ha LL . 16 for min & s in (5) º
MAIN CORRECTION to Ha (Inc. & Corr. Table, moon) + .
11 for ° of “App. Alt”, & nearest ' Additional increment “v”
10' (top table) + . for the moon, for min in (5)
17 '
Additional CORRECTION for (Inc. & Corr. Table “v or d”)
“HP” (from daily Almanac) ( “v” = + '/h) + .
and for “UL” or “LL”, GHA TOTAL º '
18
12 (same column, bottom table), (18) +(19) + (20) .
given the Parallax Correction
for day and hour of sight, ' Moon Declination
“HP” = ' + . (Almanac, Daily pages)
'
13 Subtract 30' for a sight on UL DEC of the moon N º '
– . 24
For that day, & hours in (5) S .
OBSERVED ALT. Ho º '
14 INCREMENT in DEC for min
(10) + (11) + (12) [ – (13) ?] .
25 & s in 5 (“d” = + / – '/h) + '
(Inc. & Corr. table “v or d”) – .
DEC TOTAL N º '
26
(24) + (25) S .

Class Exercise 34 - 40
Chapters 14 to 17 of the Celestial Navigation book
Planets; Stars; Selected Stars; Polaris

34. Twilight (review)

UTC date: 31 January 2003
DR position: 47° 40.0' N; 158° 15.0' W
What would be a good time (in UTC) to take a dawn sight of Venus?
Nautical Twilight Civil Twilight Sunrise
At boat Lat. 48° N, for the observer on

: : :
Greenwich meridian (UTC)
Add the hrs & min for the degrees of

: : :
boat longitude
Add the minutes of time for the

: : :
minutes of boat longitude
Twilight times in UTC for the observer

: : :
on the boat
Recommended time of sight:______________________________UTC.

35. Moon (review)

Moon, April 20, 12:06:15 UTC; Ha = 17° 19.9' on LL, after all sextant and Dip corrections.
Ho? GHA? Dec?
Moon altitude & corrections Moon GHA

(end of Almanac, Alt Corr. Tables for Moon) (Almanac, Daily pages)
Time of sight GHA of the moon º '

5 : : 15
(after corrections) UTC For that day, & hours in (5) .
UL º ' MAIN INCREMENT in GHA
10
APPARENT ALT. Ha LL . 16 for min & s in (5) º '
MAIN CORRECTION to Ha (Inc. & Corr. Table, moon) + .
11 for ° of “App. Alt”, & nearest ' Additional increment “v” for the
10' (top table) + . moon, for min in (5)
17
Additional CORRECTION for (Inc. & Corr. Table “v or d”) '
“HP” (from daily Almanac) (“v” = + '/h) + .
and for “UL” or “LL”, (same GHA TOTAL º '
18
12 column, bottom table), given (15) +(16) + (17) .
the Parallax Correction for
day and hour of sight, ' Moon Declination
“HP” = ' + . (Almanac, Daily pages)
' DEC of the moon N º '
13 Subtract 30' for a sight on UL 24
– . For that day, & hours in (5) S .
OBSERVED ALT. Ho º ' INCREMENT in DEC for min
14
(10) + (11) + (12) [ – (13) ?] . 25 & s in 5 (“d” = + / – '/h) + '
DEC TOTAL N º '
26
(24) + (25) S .
36. Planets (Venus)

UTC date: 31 January 2003
Log: 1,250 NM
Course: 200° T
DR position: 47° 40.0' N; 158° 15.0' W
Chrono error: fast, 2 min 20 s
Body: Venus
Under a very clear sky rendering the horizon visible in the general direction of the rising sun, the
sight on Venus is taken at 16 h 31 min 38 s UTC, slightly before the beginning of the nautical
twilight. Using the attached work-form, complete the Sight Reduction calculations, and plot the
LOP for the sight on Venus.

36.
Calculations

36.
Plotting

GHA for Aries º '

13
37. Stars, GHA, Dec for hours of time of sight .
UTC date: 03 July 2003 INCREMENT in GHA for Aries º '
14
for min & s; Inc. & Corr. table + .
Body: Vega
Time of sight: 13:48:12 UTC GHA TOTAL for Aries º '
15
(13) + (14) .
GHA? Dec?
º '
16 SHA of Star* for that day
.
º '
17 GHA for the Star* (15) + (16)
.
DEC of Star* N º '
26
S .
38. Stars (Betelgeuse), complete calculations

Betelgeuse; 02 Feb 2003, 03:14:22 UTC; DR: 39º15'N, 130º30'W; GHA? LHA? Dec? Zn?
DR LAT C opy ° to (25) N º '

1 UTC DATE
after rounding S .
DR LONG E º ' 5 UTC TIME h min s
2
W .
GHA of Aries (Almanac, Daily pages);

GHA of Star (Almanac, Daily pages); LHA of Star Reduction Tables, Pub. No. 249
GHA for Aries º ' LHA (total in (21) above, minus º
13 24
for hours in (5) . 360° if required)* 0 0 . 0'
INCREMENT in GHA for Aries º ' ASSUMED LAT N º
14 25
for min & s (5); Inc. & Corr. table + . from DR in (1), rounded off S 0 0 . 0'
' DEC of Star* N º '
15 GHA TOTAL for Aries º 26
(13) + (14) . S .
SHA of Star* º ' COMPUTED ALT Hc
16 for 27, 28 & 29; same or
for that day . 27
contrary, for Dec ° only. º '
GHA for the Star* º '
17 Note d ( + / – ) in 28, & Z in 30 .0
(15) + (16) .
d( + / – ' per ° of Dec)
+360º 00.0 28 CORR’N to Hc for ' of Dec. Use + '
GHA for the Star* º ' “Table 5” (back of book) – .0
18
(17), or (17) + 360° if required . º '
ASSUMED LONG º from (2) 29 HC CORRECTED for ' of Dec
.0
20 [ ' in (19) ] if long W W– º '
[60' – ' in (19)] if long E E+ .
LOCAL HOUR ANGLE (Star) º
21 00.0' 360º 180º
[(17) or (19)] +/– (20)*
N. Lat.: { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = Z 33 Zn º Zn º
{ LHA < 180°, …………Zn = 360 – Z
S. Lat.: { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = 180 – Z
{ LHA < 180°, …………Zn = 180 + Z

39. Selected Stars

UTC date: October 29, 18:15:12
DR position: 11° 28.0' N; 164° 17.5' E
Hc and Zn of the three best stars for a sight?
DR LAT C opy ° to (13) N º '

1
after rounding S .
DR LONG E º '
2
W .
5 UTC times : :
º '
6 GHA for Aries for hours in (5) .
INCREMENT in GHA for Aries º '
7
for min & s (5); Inc. & Corr. table + .
GHA TOTAL for Aries º '
8
(6) + (7) .
+ 360º 00.0
GHA for Aries º '
9
(8), or (8) – 360° if required .
10 [ ' in (16) ] if long W W– º '
[60' – ' in (16)] if long E E+ .
11 LOCAL HOUR ANGLE Aries º

(8) or (9) +/– (10) 00.0'
Subtract 360º if required –360º 00.0
12 LHA Aries º
(11), minus 360° if required 00.0'
ASSUMED LAT N º
13
from DR in (1), rounded off S 00.0'
STAR NAMES:
COMPUTED Alt Hc for Stars, from Vol. 1, ' ' '
21 º º º
given 12 (LHA ) and 13 (Assumed Lat.) .0 .0 .0
COMPUTED Zn for Star, from Vol 1,
23 º º º
given 12 (LHA ) and 13 (Assumed Lat.) Zn

40. Sight with Polaris, complete calculations

Celestial body: Polaris DR position: 43º 30' N; 128º 20' W
UTC date: June 15, 2003 Sextant altitude Hs: 43º 32.1'
Time of sight: 11:20:42 (UTC) Index error: “on the arc”: 12.5'
Chrono error: 4 min 36s slow Height of eye: 2.5m above water
Boat latitude? Exact bearing of Polaris (Zn)?
Hint: Boat latitude = Ho (on Polaris) –1º + a0 + a1 +a2

Review Class Exercises 41 – 58
Chapters 14 to 17 of the Celestial Navigation book
Review Exercises:
Sun, Twilight, Moon, Planets, Stars,
Selected Stars, Polaris

Session 8, Review Exercises 41-58
41. Time of sight

CHRONOMETER h min s
Chrono 11:02:12 (UTC)
CRONO. SLOW +
Chrono fast, 03 min 30 s CORRECTION FAST – min s
UTC corrected time?
UTC TIME h min s
42. Sun altitude Ho over the horizon (Almanac, Altitude Correction Table)
UTC date: 15 March 2003
º '
Body: Sun LL 6 SEXTANT ALT Hs
.
Sextant altitude: Hs = 38º 00.0' Off the arc + '
Index error: 12.0' on the arc 7
INDEX CORRECTION On the arc – .
Height of eye: 2.9 m above water º '
8 CORRECTED Hs
Observed altitude Ho? .
'
9 HT OF EYE ( ) DIP –
.
º '
10 APPARENT ALT. Ha
.
MAIN CORRECTION for Ha UL – '
11
SUN: Summer or Winter, LL or UL LL + .
º '
12 OBSERVED ALT. Ho
.

43. Planet altitude (Almanac, Altitude Correction Table)

UTC date: 15 Aug 2003
º '
Body: Mars 6 SEXTANT ALT Hs
.
Sextant altitude: Hs = 29º 00.0' Off the arc + '
7
Index error: 04.4' off the arc INDEX CORRECTION On the arc – .
Height of eye: 9.3 feet º '
8 CORRECTED Hs
above water .
'
.
º '
10 APPARENT ALT. Ha
.
MAIN CORRECTION for Ha '
11
In the Almanac, use “Stars & Planets” – .
Additional Correction for MARS or '
12
VENUS + .
º '
13 OBSERVED ALT. Ho
.

44. Moon altitude (end of Almanac, Alt. Corr. Tables for Moon)
UTC date: 19 April 2003
Body: Moon UL
Time of sight: 04:15:00 UTC
Sextant altitude: Hs = 32º 00.0'
Index error: 31.0' on the arc
Height of eye: 2.9 m above water
Observed altitude Ho?
º '
6 SEXTANT ALT Hs
.
Off the arc + '
7
INDEX CORRECTION On the arc – .
º '
8 CORRECTED Hs
.
'
.
º '
10 APPARENT ALT. Ha
.
MAIN CORRECTION to Ha '
11
for ° of “App. Alt”, & nearest 10' (top table) + .
Additional CORRECTION
for “HP” (from daily Almanac),
12 and for sights on “UL” or “LL”, (same
column, bottom table) '
(HP = . ') + .
'
13 Subtract 30' for a sight on UL
– .
14
(10) + (11) + (12) [ – (13) ?] .

45. Latitude by noon sight

UTC date: 29 October 2003
DR position: 46º 10.0' N; 125º 20.0' W
Meridian passage of sun: 11h 44 min
Sextant altitude: Ho = 30º 29.0' after all corrections
Boat latitude at noon?
LATITUDE BY NOON SIGHT

GREENWICH DATE:___________________; SUN: LL / UL ; LOG:__________; COURSE:___________
DR LAT N ° '
1
S .
DR LONG E ° '
2
W .
SUN MERIDIAN PASSAGE in local meridian time (in the

3 h min
Almanac page for the day; approximately 12:00 noon)
CONVERT DR ° of LONG to TIME E –
4 h min
(use table “Conversion of Arcs to Time” ) W +
CONVERT DR ' of LONG to TIME E –
5 min s
(use table “Conversion of Arcs to Time”) W+
MER. PASS. in UTC (3 +/– 4 +/– 5) at the boat longitude
6 h min s
(pre-calculated, or measured from several sights)
N º '
14 DEC of SUN for hours in 6
S .
INCREMENT for min in 6 (d = + / – ) + '
15
(use “Increment and Correction” tables for d) – .
DEC TOTAL N º '
16
Copy to 20 S .
17 ZENITH 90° = 89º 6 0 .0 '

° '
18 ALT OBS Ho
.
ZENITH DISTANCE ZD ° ' Lat. & Dec same name, & Lat. > Dec:
19
(90º – Ho), i.e. 17 – 18 . Lat. = ZD + Dec;
DEC N º '
20 Lat. & Dec same name, & Lat. < Dec:
from 16 S .
Lat. = Dec – ZD;
LATITUDE =
21 +/– ZD +/– DEC, +/– 19 +/– 20 N º ' Lat. & Dec contrary names:
Should match DR Lat. in 1 S . Lat. = ZD – Dec

46. Moon Declination (Almanac, Daily pages)

UTC date: 20 April 2003
Body: Moon
Declination?
DEC of the moon N º '

24
For that day & hours S .
INCREMENT in DEC for min
25 & s in 5 (“d” = + / – '/h) + º '
DEC TOTAL N º '
26
(24) + (25) S .
47. Star Declination (Almanac, Daily pages)

UTC date: 16 June 2003
Body: Dubhe
Declination?
DEC of Star * N º '

24
for that day S .
48. Sun’s GHA; assumed longitude; & LHA from the boat to the sun
Body: Sun
DR longitude: 129º 58.3' W
GHA? Assumed longitude? LHA?
GHA of sun º '

13
For that day, & hours of sight .
INCREMENT in GHA º '
14
for min & s of sight; Inc. & Corr. table + .
GHA TOTAL º '
15
13 +14 .
Add 360º if required + 3 6 0° 00 .0
15 + 360° if W longitude > GHA, º '
16
to allow subtraction in 18 .
ASSUMED LONG º from DRº
17 [ ' in 16] if long W W– º '
[60' – ' in 16] if long E E+ .
LOCAL HOUR ANGLE º '
18
15 or 16 +/– 17 00 .0

49. Planet GHA; assumed longitude; & LHA from the boat to the planet
UTC date: 28 Jan 2003
Body: Venus
DR longitude: 122º 05.0' W
Assumed longitude? LHA?
GHA of particular planet GHA º '

18
14 for that day, and for hours in 5 º ' from 17 .
Record Dec in 23, and d in 24 . +360° 0 0 . 0'
INCREMENT in GHA for min Add 360° if W longitude > º '
15 º ' 19
and s in 5 (Inc. and Corr. table) GHA, to allow subtraction in 21 .
+ .
Additional adjustment “v” for ASSUMED LONG º from (2)
20 [ ' in 16] if long W W– º '
particular planet, for min in 5
16 [60' – ' in 16] if long E E+ .
(Inc. and Corr. table) + '
(“v” = + / – '/h) – . LOCAL HOUR ANGLE º
21
GHA TOTAL º ' 19 +/ – 20 0 0 . 0'
17 Subtract 360º if required – 360° 0 0 . 0'
14 +15 + 16 Copy to 18 .
º
22
0 0 . 0'
50. Star GHA; assumed longitude; & LHA from the boat to the Star
UTC date: 31 Jan 2003
Body: Aldebaran GHA for Aries º '
13
for hours of sight .
DR longitude: 068º 30.0' E 14
Assumed longitude? LHA?
GHA TOTAL for Aries º '
15
(14) + (15) .
SHA of Star * º '
16
for that day .
GHA for the Star * º '
17
(16) + (17) .
Add 360º if required +360° 00 .0
GHA for the Star * º '
19
(18), or (18)+360° if required .
ASSUMED LONG º from DRº
20 [ ' in 16] if long W W– º '
[60' – ' in 16] if long E E+ .
LOCAL HOUR ANGLE (Star) º
21
[(18) or (19)] +/– (20) 0 0 . 0'
Subtract 360º if required –360° 0 0 . 0'
º
22 LHA of the Star *
0 0 . 0'

51. Sight Reduction Tables for any celestial object

Assume, for the celestial object:
LHA: 330º
Boat Lat.: 48º 20' N
Observed altitude Ho: 16˚ 35.0'
Dec: 20˚ 26.3' S after interpolation for minutes of sight time
Intercept?
º
23 LHA
0 0 . 0'
ASSUMED LAT N º
24
from DR in 1, rounded off S 0 0 . 0'
N º '
25
DEC CORRECTED S .
COMPUTED ALT Hc
for 22, 23 & 24; “same” or
26 '
“contrary”, for DEC ° only. º
Note d ( + / – ) in 27, & Z in 31 .0
d( + / – )
27 CORR’N to Hc for DEC ' in 24 + '
table 5 (back of book) – .0
º '
28 HC CORRECTED for ' in 24
.0
º '
29 OBS. ALT Ho
.
INTERCEPT Ho > Hc: T '
30
Ho < Hc: A T/A .
N. Lat.: { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = Z

360º 180º
{ LHA < 180°, …………Zn = 360 – Z
S. Lat.: { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = 180 – Z
32 Zn º Zn º
{ LHA < 180°, …………Zn = 180 + Z

52. Hc and Zn for Selected Stars

Time of sight: 20:15:12 UTC (after chrono correction)
DR position 39º 08.0' N 036º 30.0' W
Three best stars? Hc and Zn for each?
Star “V”: Ho = 23º 38.0'

DR LAT C
opy ° to (13) N º '
Star “S”: Ho = 38º 51.0' 1
after rounding S .
Star “P”: Ho = 29º 26.0'
DR LONG E º '
2
W .
5 UTC times : :
6 GHA for Aries º '

for hours in (5) .
7
8 GHA TOTAL for Aries º '

(6) + (7) .
Add 360° if W Long. > GHA,
to allow subtraction in 11 +360º 00.0
9 GHA for Aries '

(8), or (8)+360° if required .
10 [ ' in 16] if long W W– º '
[60' – ' in 16] if long E E+ .
11 LOCAL HOUR ANGLE (Aries)

(8) or (9) +/– (10) º 0 0 . 0'
Subtract 360° if LHA > 360° –360º 0 0 . 0'
12 LHA Aries º
(11), or (11– 360°) if required 0 0 . 0'
ASSUMED LAT N º
13
from DR in (1), rounded off S 0 0 . 0'
STAR NAMES:
' ' '
20 OBSERVED ALT. Ho º . º . º .
COMPUTED Alt Hc for Stars, from Vol. 1, ' ' '
21 º º º
given Assumed Lat. & LHA of Aries .0 .0 .0
INTERCEPT (20) – (21) or (21) – (20) ' ' '
22 T/A T/A T/A
Ho > Hc: T ; Ho < Hc: A . . .
COMPUTED Zn for Star, from Vol 1, given º º º
23
Assumed Lat. & LHA of Aries Zn:

53. Twilights (boat-meridian time)

Day of sight: July 01, 2003
DR latitude: 49º N.
Sunset? Civil & Nautical EVENING twilights? Use the boat-meridian times.
Almanac Latitude Sunset Civil Twilight Nautical Twilight

At this Almanac Lat. #1,
º : : :
on Greenwich meridian
At this Almanac Lat. #2,
º : : :
on Greenwich meridian
Difference for 5° of Almanac Lat. : : :
Difference for 1° of Almanac Lat.

Difference for one or two ° of boat Lat.
above or below Almanac Lats. #1 & 2
UTC at boat Lat. on

Greenwich meridian
: : :
(= boat-meridian time)
54. Twilights (boat zone-time)

Day of sight: Nov. 18, 2003
DR position: 45º 00.0' N 123º 19.3' W
Express the sunrise time, and DAWN twilights, in the zone-time of the zone within which the boat is located.
'
Boat longitude º
.
Nearest center-of-time-zone meridian
º
(every 15º from Greenwich) 00.0
Difference in longitude between boat
meridian and center-of-time-zone º '
meridian .
Time for sun travel between the two
: : :
meridians (conversion of arc to time)
Nautical Twilight Civil Twilight Sunrise
Almanac twilight times (dawn) : : :
Add or remove, to obtain the
: : :
zone-time for the twilights

55. Zone time to UTC, and to boat-meridian time

Wrist-watch on the zone time, reading 04:25:37 (no watch error).
Boat Long. = 148º 25.0' W
UTC time? Boat-meridian time?
(no work form: use the blank space below)
56. Latitude by Polaris

Time of sight: 05:25:18 UTC, after chronometer correction
DR position: 40º 30.0' N, 125º 10.0' W
Sextant altitude: Hs = 40º 15.0'
Index error: 10.2 on the arc
Boat latitude at the time of sight? Exact bearing of Polaris (Zn)?

56.
Calculations

57. Plotting a chart for the local ocean-area

Prepare a plotting sheet to be used for Question 58. Its center should be at
Lat. 47˚ N and Long.130˚ W. Label the printed parallels of latitude one degree
apart, and do the same for the meridians of longitude.
58. Plotting LOPs and Advanced LOPs on the chart (no calculations required)
a) On the plotting sheet prepared for Exercise 57, plot the morning sun bearings Zn, and the
corresponding Lines of Position, after correcting for the intercept.
b) Advance the morning LOP to noon, and establish the noon fix.
c) Advance the noon LOP to the evening, and establish the evening fix.
Morning Sight (Plotting only):

Assumed Position AP1: 48ºN; 129º 10.0W
Course: 230º T
Speed: 10 kn
Log: 2,350 NM
Time of sight on the sun: 05:30 (boat-meridian time)
True bearing of the sun: Zn = 100º
Intercept for AP1: A, 12'
Noon Sight (Plotting only):

Course: 230º T
Speed: 10 kn
Log: 2,415 NM (distance travelled during the morning: 65 NM)
Calculated Lat.: 47º 35.0' N
Evening Sight (Plotting only):

Assumed Position AP3: 47ºN; 131º 32.0' W
Course: 230º T
Speed: 10 kn
Log: 2,480 NM (distance travelled during the afternoon: 65 NM)
True bearing of the sun: Zn = 260º
Intercept for A3: T, 08'

58.
Plotting

Specific Home Exercises 59-69
to strengthen important concepts
Home Session 1, following PPT presentation 3 on the

Interpolation of GHA and Dec for Exact Times of Sights;
Local Hour Angle; and Latitude by Noon Sight.

Specific Home Exercises 59-69 following Sessions 3 and 4
59. James Cook sun sights

On June 22, 1770, Captain Cook furled all sails and took a sun sight, using his new Harrison chronometer
H4. In his Nautical Almanac, he noted that, on that day, the sun was crossing the Greenwich meridian
at 12:08.
After correcting for the chronometer error, he established the UTC time of his first sight to be 10:08.
He measured the altitude of the sun above the horizon and, after correcting his sextant for index error,
Dip, and the main correction (1/2 diameter, parallax, & refraction), he found Ho = 38º 40'.
From a noon sight, he determined his latitude to be approximately 15º 00.0' N.
Later-on that day, he took another sight on the sun, at 16:08 UTC. He found Ho = 54º 40'.
a) What are the coordinates of the points on earth over which the sun was when he took the sights
(GP of the sun) in the morning and in the afternoon?
Morning sun Lat. (Dec): ________________ Morning sun Long. (GHA): _____________
Afternoon sun Lat. (Dec): _______________ Afternoon sun Long. (GHA): ____________
b) What are the radii of his two circles of position?
AM sight PM sight
90º 89º 60' 89º 60'
º ' º '
Ho
º ' º '
ZD
NM for the degrees of angle
NM for the minutes of angle
Total radius
c) Where is he?
Use the attached world map, with its scale in NM valid near the tropics.

Plotting
59.

60. Cook’s sextant corrections

On June 22, Cook’s morning sight was:
º '
Hs
Body: Sun LL .
Sextant Alt: Hs = 40° 50.2' Index error.
Index error: off the arc, 10.2' “On the arc”: – '
Height of eye: 9.0 m above water “off the arc”: + .
Hs corrected for º '
Observed altitude Ho after all corrections? index error .
'
Ht of the eye: DIP –
.
º '
Apparent altitude Ha
.
Main correction,
given the month and Ha: '
LL + UL – .
º '
Observed altitude Ho
.
61. Estimate the sun’s GP

Over which point on earth would you guess that the sun might be on any October 11 at 09:20 UTC,
assuming the sun crosses the meridian of Greenwich at 12:00 on that day?
Latitude? _______________________
Longitude?______________________
Use a world map to find the name of the nearest island, known for its spices and its sultan with 100 wives.
62. Interpolation of GHA

What was the GHA of the sun on April 21, 2003 at 14:25:48 UTC?
GHA for hours º '

only .
Increment of GHA º '
for minutes and sec + .
º '
Total GHA
.

63. Interpolation of Dec

What was the Dec of the sun on Oct. 28, 2003 at 16:44:52 UTC
Dec for hours only º '

(N or S) .
(d + or –
(d = '/ h)
in ’/ h )
Increment of Dec
for min .
º '
Total Dec
.
64. Estimation of position

After three weeks at sea in your trusty life raft somewhere on the North Atlantic at a latitude
between 30º and 35º N, you take a sight on the sun at a time when you think it is highest above the
horizon (top of the curve). Your wrist watch, on UTC, reads July 19, 2003 at 16:32. You remember
reading that, on that day, the sun crossed the meridian of Greenwich at 12:12. You measure Ho
= 78º. Any hope?
Sun crossing of boat meridian : 90º

Ho º
Sun crossing of Greenwich meridian :
ZD = 90º – Ho º
Duration of sun travel :
Dec (estimated) º
Longitude º
Lat. = Dec + ZD º
65. Local Hour Angle (LHA)
GHA 138° 49.3' 29° 33.8' 215° 47.6'

AM or PM
(boat time)
GHA (add 360° if º ' º ' º '
required) . . .
+ longitude E º ' º ' º '
– longitude W . . .
LHA = Total
(subtract 360° if º ' º ' º '
required) . . .

66. Review Exercise

Celestial body: Sun, LL,
DR position: 40º 45.0' N; 019º 01.0' W
Time of sight: 15:19:04 (UTC)
Chrono error: 1 min 20s (slow)
Measured sextant altitude Hs: 45º 37.1'
Index error: 4' on the arc
Corrected UTC time?

Hs corrected for index error?
Ha, after correction for Dip?
Observed Ho, after main correction?
Exact Dec of the sun at the time of the sight?
Exact GHA of the sun at the time of the sight?
Local Hour Angle?
Use the form attached.

66. Calculation of the Local Hour Angle

Calculations
GREENWICH DATE:___________________; LOG:__________; COURSE:___________
DR LAT N º '
1
S .
DR LONG E º '
2
W .
Time of sight (UTC )
3 CHRONOMETER h min s
CRONO. SLOW +
4
5 UTC TIME h min s
Sun altitude (Almanac, Altitude Correction Table)

Sun’s Declination (Almanac, Altitude Correction Table)
º '
6 SEXTANT ALT Hs . '
20 DECLINATION of sun N º
Off the arc + ' For that day, and hours in S .
7
INDEX CORRECTION On the arc – . 21 CORR. to DEC + '
º ' for minutes in 5; d (+ / – ) – .
8 CORRECTED Hs . '
22 DEC CORRECTED N º
' 20 +/– 21 S .
9 HT OF EYE ( ) DIP – .
º '
10 APPARENT ALT. Ha .
MAIN CORRECTION for Ha UL – '
11
SUN: Summer or Winter, LL or UL LL + .
º '
12 OBSERVED ALT. Ho .
Sun’s GHA (Almanac, Daily pages); LHA
GHA of sun
for that day, and for hours in 5
13
Record "Dec" in 20, º '
and increment "d" in 21 .
INCREMENT in GHA for º '
14
min & s of sight; Inc. & Corr. table + .
GHA TOTAL º '
15
13 +14 .
+ 3 6 0° 0 0 . 0'
Add 360° if W longitude > GHA to º '
16
allow subtraction in 18 .
DR LONG from 2 E+ º '
17
W– .
18
15 or 16 +/– 17 .
Minus 360 º if required – 3 6 0° 0 0 . 0'
º '
19 LHA
.

67. Estimated longitude, and calculated latitude, by noon sight

A graph is often used to determine the maximum sun altitude over the horizon (Ho max, crossing
of the boat meridian), and the (approximate) time of meridian crossing. Use the attached graph to
estimate Ho max on Feb. 01, 2003, as well as the time when the sun crossed the boat meridian. The
sun Declination will need to be calculated for the exact time of sight.
a) Estimation of longitude
Longitude = [time for the sun to travel from the Greenwich meridian to the boat meridian] x 15º/h.
Multiply the hours of travel of the sun by 15º/h.

Multiply the minutes of travel of the sun by (15º/60)ºh.
Or use the Almanac (Appendix 2).
1. E
stimate the UTC time when the sun crossed the boat meridian, i.e. when the sun reached Ho
max (use the attached graph). For increased precision, draw a horizontal line (constant altitude) and
take the middle of the segment between the two points of the intersection with the curve.
Time when the sun crossed the boat meridian: ____ h____min UTC.
2. Note the time when the sun crossed the Greenwich meridian (Almanac, 01 Feb 2003)
____h____min UTC
3. Calculate the total time of travel of the sun between the meridians of Greenwich and of the boat.
4. From this time of travel at 15˚/h, determine the longitude. Use the Almanac (“Increments and
Corrections”) to determine the arc corresponding to the minutes and seconds of travel.
Boat-meridian time (UTC)

h min
Greenwich meridian time
(UTC) – h min
Sun travel time (difference)

h min
Time for sun travel from

Greenwich to the boat h min
° of longitude º
for the hours only 00.0 '
° and ' of longitude for the º '
minutes and seconds of time .
º '
Total = longitude
.

67.
Plotting of the Sun trajectory
Home Exercise 9
Noon sight, 01 Feb 2015 Ho
Altitude
(degrees)
27º 00.0’
26º 30.0’
• • • • •
•
• •
26º 00.0’
•
• 25º 30.0’
Celestial Navigation Exercises

•
• 25º 00.0’
24º 30.0’
19:00 :10 :20 :30 :40 :50 20:00 :10 :20 :30 :40 :50 21:00 :10 :20 :30 :40 :50 22:00
Time of sights (UTC)
63
b) Calculation of latitude
1. Estimate the maximum height of the sun above the horizon (Ho max) from the graph
Ho max: ______º______. 0'
2. Calculate the Declination of the sun at the time of the sight from the Almanac (01 Feb 2003).
DECLINATION of sun
For Feb. 01, for the UTC time of
13
the sight (hours only) N º '
S .
d (+ / – ) ; CORR. to DEC + '
14
for the minutes of the time of sight – .
15
S .
3. Calculate the boat latitude from this noon sight.
Approximate
50° N
boat latitude (DR)
Sun’s Declination from Almanac: º '
Dec .
90° = 8 9 ° 60. 0'
Measured highest sun altitude Ho
º '
(at noon, boat-meridian time) .
Zenith Distance ZD = 90° – Ho º '

.
Boat latitude = “Dec + ZD” or
º '
“Dec – ZD” or “ZD – Dec” .

Home Session 2
following PPT presentation 4 on the

68 & 69. Sight Reduction Tables: Assumed Lat. & Long.; calculation of Zn from Z;
calculation of Hc by interpolation; calculation of the intercept; plotting.
From the Sight Reduction Tables Pub. No 249, we can determine the bearing of the sun (sun’s azimuth
“Zn”) and calculated altitude “Hc”. By comparing Hc with our observed altitude Ho, we can calculate
by how much the assumed arc of circle of position should be moved.
Sight No: Home Exercise 68 Home Exercise 69

DR latitude 39° 18.3' N 38° 44.8' S
DR longitude 35° 33.5' E 178° 39.4' W
Sun’s GHA 355° 27.8' 133° 41.3'
Sun’s Dec (corrected) 13° 26.3' S 08° 12.3' N
Observed altitude Ho 30° 17.6' 27° 10.8'
Find the Local Hour Angle (LHA); the coordinates of the assumed position, the computed altitude Hc;
the azimuth angle Z; the bearing (azimuth) of the sun’s Zn; and the intercept (“Towards” or “Away
from” the sun’s GP).
Use the work forms attached, with a blank globe, and the pre-calibrated blank Mercator charts.

a) Calculations
DR LAT N º ' Sun’s GHA (Almanac, Daily pages); LHA

1
S .
DR LONG E º ' º '
2 15 Sun’s GHA
W . .
+ 3 6 0° 00.0
16 + 360° if required to allow º '
16
subtraction in 18 .
17 [ ' in 16] if long W W– '
º
[60' – ' in 16] if long E E+ .
LOCAL HOUR ANGLE º
18
16 + / – 17 00.0'
Subtract 360° if LHA > 360° – 3 6 0° 00.0'
19 Copy LHA (18 or 19) to 23 00.0'

23
360° if LHA > 360°) 00.0'
ASSUMED LAT N º
24
from DR in 1, rounded off S 00.0'
N º '
25
DEC CORRECTED S .
COMPUTED ALT Hc
for 23, 24 & 25; same or
26
contrary, for DEC ° only. º '
Note d ( + / – ) in 27, & Z in 31 .0
d (+ / – ')
28
in 25 .0
N. Lat.: { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = Z º '
29 OBS. ALT Ho .
{ LHA < 180°, …………Zn = 360 – Z
INTERCEPT Ho > Hc: T
S. Lat.: { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = 180 – Z 30
Ho < Hc: A T/A .
{ LHA < 180°, …………Zn = 180 + Z
360º 180º
32 Zn º Zn º

Specific Home Exercises 59-69 following Sessions 3 and 4 b) Plotting of sight 68
68.
Plotting

a) Calculations
DR LAT N º ' Sun’s GHA (Almanac, Daily pages); LHA

1
S .
DR LONG E º ' º '
2 15 Sun’s GHA
W . .
+ 3 6 0° 00.0
16 + 360° if required to allow º '
16
subtraction in 18 .
17 [ ' in 16] if long W W– '
º
[60' – ' in 16] if long E E+ .
LOCAL HOUR ANGLE º
18
16 + / – 17 00.0'
Subtract 360° if LHA > 360° – 3 6 0° 00.0'
19 Copy LHA (18 or 19) to 23 00.0'

23
360° if LHA > 360°) 00.0'
ASSUMED LAT N º
24
from DR in 1, rounded off S 00.0'
25
S .
COMPUTED ALT Hc
for 22, 23 & 24; same or
26
contrary, for DEC ° only. º '
Note d ( + / – ) in 27, & Z in 31 .0
d( +/– ')
28
in 25 .0
º '
29 OBS. ALT Ho .
N. Lat.: { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = Z INTERCEPT Ho > Hc: T
30
{ LHA < 180°, …………Zn = 360 – Z Ho < Hc: A T/A .
S. Lat.: { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = 180 – Z
{ LHA < 180°, …………Zn = 180 + Z 360º 180º
32 Zn º Zn º
Fig. 69.1

69.
Plotting

Inclusive Home Review Exercises 70-74
for overall course review
A typical day's work at sea: Determining the boat's position

from two or three LOPs obtained, either concurrently or
at different times, from sights on the Sun, Moon, Planets and Stars.

Inclusive Home Review Exercises 70 - 74
70. LOP from Two Morning-twilight Planets
Our boat is in the western Indian ocean, in the Seychelles Islands, some 700 km NE of Madagascar.
We have taken the following planet sights at dawn:
Saturn Jupiter
Greenwich date: 29 Oct. 2003 29 Oct. 2003
Ded Reckoning (DR): 11° 20.0' S 11° 20.0' S
057° 30.0' E 057° 30.0' E
Chronometer (UTC): 01 h 04 min 32 s 01 h 06 min 12 s
Chronometer error: 1 min 03 s, slow 1 min 03 s, slow
Sextant altitude Hs: 56° 04.7' 34° 05.4'
Index error: 6.0' on the arc 6.0' on the arc
Height of eye: 2.9 m 2.9 m
Plot the two LOPs, and show the fix at 01:00 UTC.

70.
Calculations (1) LOP by Pub. No. 249, PLANET: __________
GREENWICH DATE:______________ LOG:______ COURSE:__________
DR LAT N ° '
1 Local Hour Angle
Copy ° to 27 after rounding S .
E ° ' GHA º '
2 18
DR LONG W . from 17 .
+ 3 6 0° 00.0
Time of Sight (UTC) 19 Add 360° if W longitude > GHA, º '
3 CHONOMETER ASSUMED LONG º from (2)
h min s 20 [ ' in 19] if long W W- º '
CRONO. SLOW + [60' - ' in 19] if long E E+ .
4
CORRECTION FAST - min s
5 21
19 +/ - 20 00.0
UTC TIME h min s Subtract 360 º if required -360º 0 0 '.0
22 LHA Copy 21 or 22 to 26 º 0 0 '.0
Altitude (Almanac, Altitude Correction Table)
º ' Planet Declination (Almanac, Daily pages)
6 SEXTANT ALT Hs .
DECLINATION of Planet N º '
Off the arc + ' 23
for that day, and for hours in 5 S .
7 INDEX CORRECTION -
On the arc . CORRECTION to DEC for minutes in 5
º ' 24 (“d” = + / - ’/h) + '
8 CORRECTED Hs . ( Increment and Correction table) - .
' 25
9 HT OF EYE ( ) DIP - . 23 + 24; Copy to 28 S .
º '
APPARENT ALT. H
10 . Sight Reduction tables Pub. 249
11
Use: “Stars and Planets” - . LHA ( from 21, minus 360° if º '
26
Additional Correction for ' required ) 0 0. 0
12 ASSUMED LAT N º '
MARS or VENUS + . 27
from DR in 1, rounded off S 00.0
13 DEC CORRECTED N º '
10 + 11 (+ 12 ?) Copy to 32 . 28
from 25 S .
COMPUTED ALT Hc
Planet GHA (Almanac, Daily pages) for DEC ° only.
29
“ same ” or “ contrary ” º '
GHA of particular Planet Note d ( + / - ) in 30, & Z in 34 .
14 for that day, and for hours in 5 º ' d(+/- ’/° of DEC )
Record Dec in 23, and d in 24 . 30 CORR’N to Hc for ' of DEC in + '
INCREMENT in GHA for min º ' 25 (table 5, back of book) - .
15
and s in 5 (Inc. and Corr. table) + . º '
Additional adjustment “v” for 31 HC CORRECTED for ' of DEC
.
particular planet, for min in 5 OBS. ALT Ho º '
16 + ' 32
(Inc. and Corr. table) (from 13) .
( “v” = + / - ’/h) - .
INTERCEPT Ho > Hc : T '
GHA TOTAL º ' 33
17 Ho < Hc : A T/A .
14 +15 + 16 Copy to 18 .
N. Lat: { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = Z 360º 180º
{ LHA < 180°, …………Zn = 360 – Z 34 N. LAT Z º S. LAT Z º
S. Lat { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = 180 – Z
{ LHA < 180°, …………Zn = 180 + Z 35 Zn º Zn º

70.
Calculations (2)
LOP by Pub. No. 249, PLANET: __________
GREENWICH DATE:______________ LOG:______ COURSE:__________
DR LAT N ° '
1 Local Hour Angle
E ° ' GHA º '
2 18
DR LONG W . from 17 .
+ 3 6 0° 00.0
Time of Sight (UTC) 19 Add 360° if W longitude > GHA, º '
3 CHONOMETER ASSUMED LONG º from (2)
h min s 20 [ ' in 19] if long W W- º '
CRONO. SLOW + [60' - ' in 19] if long E E+ .
4
5 21
19 +/ - 20 00.0
UTC TIME h min s Subtract 360 º if required -360º 0 0 '.0
22 LHA Copy 21 or 22 to 26 º 0 0 '.0
º ' Planet Declination (Almanac, Daily pages)
6 SEXTANT ALT Hs .
DECLINATION of Planet N º '
Off the arc + ' 23
7 INDEX CORRECTION -
On the arc . CORRECTION to DEC for minutes in 5
º ' 24 (“d” = + / - ’/h) + '
8 CORRECTED Hs . ( Increment and Correction table) - .
' 25
9 HT OF EYE ( ) DIP - . 23 + 24; Copy to 28 S .
º '
APPARENT ALT. H
10 . Sight Reduction tables Pub. 249
11
Use: “Stars and Planets” - . LHA ( from 21, minus 360° if º '
26
Additional Correction for ' required ) 0 0. 0
12 ASSUMED LAT N º '
MARS or VENUS + . 27
13 DEC CORRECTED N º '
10 + 11 (+ 12 ?) Copy to 32 . 28
from 25 S .
COMPUTED ALT Hc
Planet GHA (Almanac, Daily pages) for DEC ° only.
29
“ same ” or “ contrary ” º '
GHA of particular Planet Note d ( + / - ) in 30, & Z in 34 .
14 for that day, and for hours in 5 º ' d(+/- ’/° of DEC )
Record Dec in 23, and d in 24 . 30 CORR’N to Hc for ' of DEC in + '
INCREMENT in GHA for min º ' 25 (table 5, back of book) - .
15
and s in 5 (Inc. and Corr. table) + . º '
Additional adjustment “v” for 31 HC CORRECTED for ' of DEC
.
particular planet, for min in 5 OBS. ALT Ho º '
16 + ' 32
(Inc. and Corr. table) (from 13) .
( “v” = + / - ’/h) - .
GHA TOTAL º ' 33
17 Ho < Hc : A T/A .
14 +15 + 16 Copy to 18 .
N. Lat: { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = Z 360º 180º
S. Lat { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = 180 – Z
{ LHA < 180°, …………Zn = 180 + Z 35 Zn º Zn º

70.
Plotting

71. LOPs with Morning Sun, Noon Sight, and Afternoon Sun
We are cruising along the West Coast of Africa, off the coast of Angola. We take the following three sights
AM SUN NOON SUN PM SUN

(LL) (LL) (LL)
Greenwich date: 20 April 2003 20 April 2003 20 April 2003
Course: 012 T 012 T 012 T
Speed: 6 kn 6 kn 6 kn
Log: 1,000 1,024 1,048
Ded Reckoning (DR): 11° 30.0' S 11° 07.0' S 10° 42.0' S
012° 22.0' E 012° 28.0' E 012° 41.0' E
Chronometer (UTC): 07 h 16 min 22 s meridian passage 15 h 17 min 12 s
Chronometer error: 2 min 07 s, fast 2 min 07 s, fast
Sextant altitude Hs: 27° 06.9' (LL) 67° 11.5' (LL) 24° 26.1'
Index error: 4.0' off the arc 4.0' off the arc 4.0' off the arc
Height of eye: 2.9 m 2.9 m 2.9 m
Plot the three LOPs; advance the morning sun LOP to noon and show the mid-day fix; advance the
noon LOP (parallel of latitude) to 15:17 and show the afternoon fix.

71.
Calculations (1) LOP by Pub. No. 249: SUN LL / UL
GREENWICH DATE:______________ LOG:_________ COURSE:__________
DR LAT N ° '
1 .
Copy ° to 24 after rounding S Sun Declination (Almanac, Daily pages)
E ° '
2
DR LONG W . DECLINATION of Sun N º '
20
For that day, and hours in 5 S .
Time of sight (UTC ) CORREC’N to DEC + '
21
for minutes in 5; d (+ / - ) - .
3 CHONOMETER DEC CORRECTED N º '
h min s 22
20 +/- 21; Copy to 25 S .
CRONO. SLOW +
4
5 UTC TIME
h min s
Sun Altitude (Almanac, Altitude Correction Table)
º '
23 LHA ( from 18 or 19 )
º ' 00.0
6 SEXTANT ALT Hs
. ASSUMED LAT N º '
Off the arc + ' 24
7 from DR in 1, rounded off S 00.0
INDEX CORRECTION On the arc - . DEC CORRECTED N º '
º ' 25
8 CORRECTED Hs From 22 S .
. COMPUTED ALT Hc
' for 23, 24 and 25; “same” or
9 HT OF EYE ( ) DIP - . 26
“contrary”, for DEC ° only. º '
º ' Note d ( + / - ) in 27, & Z in 31 .0
10 APPARENT ALT. Ha
.
d( + / - )
MAIN CORRECTION for Ha UL - '
27 + '
11 CORR’N to Hc for DEC ' in 25
SUN: Summer or Winter, LL or UL LL + . .0
(Table 5, back of book) -
OBSERVED ALT. Ho º ' HC CORRECTED for ' of DEC º '
12 28
Copy to 29 . in 25 .0
OBS. ALT Ho º '
29
from 12 .
Sun GHA (Almanac, Daily pages); LHA
INTERCEPT Ho > Hc : T
30
GHA of Sun 28-29 or 29-28 Ho < Hc : A T/A .
13
INCREMENT in GHA º ' 360º 180º
14 for min and s in 5; Incr. & Cor. table + . N. LAT S. LAT
31 Z º Z º
GHA TOTAL º '
15 32 Zn º Zn º
13 +14 .
+ 3 6 0° 00 .0
Add 360° if W longitude > GHA º ' N. Lat.: { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = Z
16
to allow subtraction in 18 . { LHA < 180°, …………Zn = 360 – Z
ASSUMED LONG º from 2 S. Lat { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = 180 – Z
17 [ ' in 16] if long W W- º ' { LHA < 180°, …………Zn = 180 + Z
[60' - ' in 16] if long E E+ .
18
15 or 16 +/- 17; 00.0
Minus 360 º if required - 3 6 0º 0 0'. 0
19 Copy 18 or 19 to 23

71.
Calculations (2) LATITUDE BY NOON SIGHT
GREENWICH DATE:___________; SUN: LL / UL ; LOG:________; COURSE:_________
N ° '
1 DR LAT
S .
E ° '
2 DR LONG
W .
SUN MERIDIAN PASSAGE in local meridian time

3
(in the Almanac page for the day; approximately 12:00 noon) h min
CONVERT DR ° of LONG to TIME E - min
4
(use table “Conversion of Arcs to Time”) W + h
CONVERT DR ' of LONG to TIME E -
5 (use table “Conversion of Arcs to Time”) W+ min s
MER. PASS. in UTC (3 +/- 4 +/- 5) at the boat longitude
6
(pre-calculated, or measured from several sights) h min s
º '
7 SEXT ALT Hs
.
off the arc + '
8 INDEX COR’N
on the arc - .
CORRECTED Hs º '
9
7+8 .
'
10 HT OF EYE ( ) DIP -
.
APPARENT ALTITUDE Ha º '
11
9 – 10 .
MAIN CORRECTION for Ha (UL) - '
12 “Summer / winter” “ UL or LL” .
(LL) +
ALTITUDE OBSERVED Ho º '
13
11 +/- 12 Copy to 18 .
DEC of SUN for hours in 6 N º '

14
S .
INCREMENT for min in 6 (d = + / - ) + '
15
(use “Increment and Correction” tables for d) - .
DEC TOTAL N º '
16 Copy to 20 S .
17 ZENITH 9 0° = 8 9 º 6 0 .' 0
º ' Lat & Dec same name, & Lat > Dec:
18 ALT OBS Ho (from 13)
. Lat = ZD + Dec;
ZENITH DISTANCE ZD º '
19
(90º - Ho), i.e. 17 – 18 . Lat & Dec same name, & Lat < Dec:
DEC N º ' Lat = Dec - ZD;
20
from 16 S .
LATITUDE Lat & Dec contrary names:
21 = ZD +/- DEC, i.e. 19 +/- 20 N º ' Lat = ZD – Dec
Should match DR Lat in 1 S .

71.
DR LAT N ° '
1 .
E ° '
2
20
21
h min s 22
20 +/- 21; Copy to 25 S .
CRONO. SLOW +
4
5 UTC TIME
h min s
º '
23 LHA ( from 18 or 19 )
º ' 00.0
6 SEXTANT ALT Hs
Off the arc + ' 24
º ' 25
. COMPUTED ALT Hc
9 HT OF EYE ( ) DIP - . 26
º ' Note d ( + / - ) in 27, & Z in 31 .0
10 APPARENT ALT. Ha
.
d( + / - )
27 + '
12 28
Copy to 29 . in 25 .0
OBS. ALT Ho º '
29
from 12 .
30
13
31 Z º Z º
GHA TOTAL º '
15 32 Zn º Zn º
13 +14 .
+ 3 6 0° 00 .0
16
[60' - ' in 16] if long E E+ .
18
15 or 16 +/- 17; 00.0
19 Copy 18 or 19 to 23

71.
Plotting
80 Celestial Navigation
72. LOPs with the Moon (morning-twilight) and Morning Sun
Our boat is in the east Pacific, 1,500 km north of New Caledonia. We take the following morning sights:
Moon Sun
(LL) (LL)
Greenwich date: 20 August 2003 20 August 2003

Course: 090 T 090 T
Speed: 6 kn 6 kn
Log: 600 612
Ded Reckoning (DR): 11° 10.0' S 11° 10.0' S
170° 40.0' E 170° 30.0' E
Chronometer (UTC): 18 h 13 min 02 s 20 h 14 min 25 s
Chronometer error: 1 min 10 s, slow 1 min 10 s, slow
Sextant altitude Hs: 54° 28.5' 20° 28.7'
Index error: 2.1' on the arc 2.1' on the arc
Height of eye: 2.9 m 2.9 m
Celestial Navigation 81
72.
Calculations (1) LOP by Pub. No. 249; MOON LL / UL
GREENWICH DATE:__________________ LOG:_________ COURSE:__________
DR LAT N ° '
1
E ° '
2
DR LONG W . Local Hour Angle
Time of sight º '
19 GHA from 18
.
3 CHRONOMETER +3 6 0 ° 0 0.0
h min s
CRONO. SLOW + Add 360° if W longitude > GHA º '
4 20
CORRECTION FAST - min s to allow subtraction in 21 .
5 ASSUMED LONG º from 2
UTC TIME 21 [ ' from 20] if long W W- º '
h min s
[60' - ' from 20] if long E E+ .
Moon Altitude and Corrections 22
20 +/ – 21 00.0
º ' Subtract 360° if required -360º 0 0 '. 0
6 SEXTANT ALT Hs
.
23 LHA Copy 22 or 23 to 27
Off the arc + '
7
INDEX CORRECTION On the arc - .
8 CORRECTED Hs
º ' Moon Declination (Almanac, daily pages)
.
' DEC of the Moon N º '
9 HT OF EYE ( ) DIP - . 24
º ' INCREMENT in DEC for min
10 APPARENT ALT. Ha
. 25 and s in 5 (“d” = + / - ’/h) + '
MAIN CORRECTION to Ha (Inc. and Corr., table “v or d”) - .
11 for ° of “App. Alt”, & nearest ' DEC TOTAL N º '
10’ (top table for the Moon) + . 26
24 + 25; Copy to 29 S .
12 and for sights on “UL” or “LL”, Sight Reduction Tables, Pub. No. 249
(same column, bottom table) ' LHA (from 22, minus 360° if º '
(HP = . ’) + . 27
required ) 00.0
'
13 Subtract 30’ for a sight on UL ASSUMED LAT N º '
- . 28
OBSERVED ALT. Ho
DEC of the Moon N º '
14 10 + 11 + 12 [ - 13 ?] º ' 29
from 26 S .
Copy to 33 .
COMPUTED ALT Hc
for 27, 28 and 29; “same” or
Moon GHA (Almanac, Daily pages) 30
“contrary”, for Dec ° only. º '
GHA of the Moon º ' Note d (+/-) in 31, & Z in 35 .0
15 d( + / - ) CORR’N to Hc
for that day, and for hours in (5) .
MAIN INCREMENT in GHA 31 for ' of Dec. Use Table 5 (back + '
16 for min and s in 5 º ' of the book), for ' of Dec. in 29 - .0
(Inc. and Corr. Table, Moon) + . º '
HC CORRECTED for ' of Dec
Additional increment “v” for the 32 .0
moon, for min in 5 º '
17 33 OBS. ALT Ho from 14
(Inc. and Corr. Table “v or d”) ' .
( “v” = + ’/h) + . INTERCEPT Ho > Hc : T '
GHA TOTAL º ' 34
18 Ho < Hc : A T/A .
15 + 16 + 17; Copy to 19 .
N. Lat.: { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = Z
360º 180º
{ LHA < 180°, …………Zn = 360 – Z
S. Lat { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = 180 – Z
{ LHA < 180°, …………Zn = 180 + Z
36 Zn º Zn º
82 Celestial Navigation
72.
DR LAT N ° '
1 .
E ° '
2
20
21
h min s 22
20 +/- 21; Copy to 25 S .
CRONO. SLOW +
4
5 UTC TIME
h min s
º '
23 LHA ( from 18 or 19 )
º ' 00.0
6 SEXTANT ALT Hs
Off the arc + ' 24
º ' 25
. COMPUTED ALT Hc
9 HT OF EYE ( ) DIP - . 26
º ' Note d ( + / - ) in 27, & Z in 31 .0
10 APPARENT ALT. Ha
.
d( + / - )
27 + '
12 28
Copy to 29 . in 25 .0
OBS. ALT Ho º '
29
from 12 .
30
13
31 Z º Z º
GHA TOTAL º '
15 32 Zn º Zn º
13 +14 .
+ 3 6 0° 00 .0
16
[60' - ' in 16] if long E E+ .
18
15 or 16 +/- 17; 00.0
19 Copy 18 or 19 to 23
Celestial Navigation 83
72.
Plotting

Inclusive Home Review Exercises 70 - 74 Chapter 18: Review Exercises
73. LOPs with Three Morning-twilight Stars
Our boat is in the east Pacific, off the coast of Costa Rica. We have just taken the following star sights
at dawn:
Regulus Sirius Capella

Greenwich date: 30 Oct. 2003 30 Oct. 2003 30 Oct. 2003
Ded Reckoning (DR): 11° 00.0' N 11° 00.0' N 11° 00.0' N
089° 00.0' W 089° 00.0' W 089° 00.0' W
Chronometer (UTC): 11 h 08 min 20 s 11 h 15 min 24 s 11 h 17 min 15 s
Chronometer error: 1 min 18 s, fast 1 min 18 s, fast 1 min 18 s, fast
Sextant altitude Hs: 55° 03.9' 57° 23.7' 42° 13.0'
Index error: 4.0' on the arc 4.0' on the arc 4.0' on the arc
Plot the three LOPs, and show the fix at 05:15. The elements of each of the three LOPs can be calculated
with the reduced form for Selected Stars (Vol. 1 of Pub. No. 249) although, for good practice, the
calculations should be made (for at least one of the stars) with the standard star form.
Celestial Navigation Exer 85

73.
Calculations (1) LOP by Pub. No. 249; STAR: ____________
DR LAT N ° '
1 Copy ° to 25 after rounding S .
Local Hour Angle
DR LONG E ° ' GHA of Star* º '
2 18
W . from 17 .
+ 3 6 0° 00 .0
Add 360 º if W Longitude > GHA º '
Time of sight (UTC ) 19
3 CHONOMETER
h min s 20 [ ' in (19)] if long W W- º '
CRONO. SLOW + [60' - ' in (19)] if long E E+ .
4
CORRECTION FAST - min s LOCAL HOUR ANGLE of Star* º '
5 21 [18 or 19] +/- 20 00.0
UTC TIME
h min s Subtract 360 º if required -360º 0 0. 0
22 Copy 21 or 22 to 24 º 0 0. 0
Declination of the star (Almanac, Daily pages)
º '
6 SEXTANT ALT Hs
. DEC of Star* N º '
Off the arc + ' 23
7 for that day; Copy to 26 S .
º '
8 CORRECTED Hs
.
Sight Reduction Tables, Pub. No. 249
'
9
HT OF EYE ( ) DIP - .
LHA* ( from 21, minus 360° if º '
º ' 24
APPARENT ALT. Ha required ) 00.0
10 .
MAIN CORRECTION for Ha ' ASSUMED LAT N º '
11 25
from DR in (1), rounded off S 00.0
from column “Stars & Planets” - .
OBSERVED ALT. Ho º ' DEC of Star* N º '
12 26
Copy to 30 . (from 23) S .
COMPUTED ALT Hc
for 24, 25 & 26; “same” or
27
GHA of Aries and Star (Almanac, Daily pages) “contrary”, for Dec ° only. º '
Note d ( + / - ) in 28, & Z in 32 .0
GHA of Aries º '
13 d( + / - ) CORR’N to Hc
for hours in (5) . 28 + '
for ' of Dec. Use “Table 5” (back
INCREMENT in GHA for Aries, for º ' of book) - .0
14
min & s in (5); Inc and Cor. table + .
º '
GHA TOTAL of Aries º ' 29 HC CORRECTED for ' of Dec .0
15
13 + 14 .
OBS. ALT Ho º '
SHA of Star* for that day º ' 30
16 (from 12) .
(from Almanac, Daily pages) .
GHA for the Star* º ' 31
17 Ho < Hc : A T/A .
15 + 16; Copy to 18 .
N. Lat.: { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = Z 360º 180º

S. Lat { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = 180 – Z 33 Zn º Zn º
{ LHA < 180°, …………Zn = 180 + Z

73.
DR LAT N ° '
Local Hour Angle
2 18
W . from 17 .
+ 3 6 0° 00 .0
3 CHONOMETER
4
5 21 [18 or 19] +/- 20 00.0
UTC TIME
22 Copy 21 or 22 to 24 º 0 0. 0
º '
6 SEXTANT ALT Hs
Off the arc + ' 23
º '
8 CORRECTED Hs
.
'
9
º ' 24
10 .
11 25
12 26
COMPUTED ALT Hc
for 24, 25 & 26; “same” or
27
Note d ( + / - ) in 28, & Z in 32 .0
GHA of Aries º '
13 d( + / - ) CORR’N to Hc
14
º '
15
13 + 14 .
OBS. ALT Ho º '
16 (from 12) .
17 Ho < Hc : A T/A .
15 + 16; Copy to 18 .
N. Lat.: { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = Z 360º 180º

{ LHA < 180°, …………Zn = 180 + Z

73.
DR LAT N ° '
Local Hour Angle
2 18
W . from 17 .
+ 3 6 0° 00 .0
3 CHONOMETER
4
5 21 [18 or 19] +/- 20 00.0
UTC TIME
22 Copy 21 or 22 to 24 º 0 0. 0
º '
6 SEXTANT ALT Hs
Off the arc + ' 23
º '
8 CORRECTED Hs
.
'
9
º ' 24
10 .
11 25
12 26
COMPUTED ALT Hc
for 24, 25 & 26; “same” or
27
Note d ( + / - ) in 28, & Z in 32 .0
GHA of Aries º '
13 d( + / - ) CORR’N to Hc
14
º '
15
13 + 14 .
OBS. ALT Ho º '
16 (from 12) .
17 Ho < Hc : A T/A .
15 + 16; Copy to 18 .
N. Lat.: { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = Z 360º 180º

{ LHA < 180°, …………Zn = 180 + Z

73.
Calculations (4) LOP by Pub. No. 249, Vol. 1 “SELECTED STARS”
DR LAT Copy ° to 13 N ° '
1 GREENWICH DATE:________________
after rounding S .
DR LONG E ° ' LOG:_________ COURSE:____________
2
W .
STAR NAMES:
3 CHRONOMETER
: : : : : :
Slow +
4
CHRONOMETER CORRECTION Fast - +/- : +/- : +/- :
5 UTC times
: : : : : :
GHA of Aries º ' º ' º '
6
for hours in 5 . . .
INCREMENT in GHA of Aries º ' º ' º '
7
for min and s in 5; Inc and Cor. table + . + . + .
GHA TOTAL of Aries º ' º ' º '
8
6+7 . . .
Add 360° if W longitude > GHA, to allow
+ 3 6 0° 00 .0 + 3 6 0° 00 .0 + 3 6 0° 00 .0
subtraction in 11
GHA for Aries º ' º ' º '
9
8, or 8+360° if required . . .
ASSUMED LONG º from 2
10 [ ' in 9] if long W W- º ' º ' º '
or: [60' - ' in 9] if long E E+ . . .
LOCAL HOUR ANGLE (Aries) º ' º ' º '
11
8 or 9 +/- 10 00.0 00.0 00.0
minus 360° if required - 3 6 0º 0 0 '. 0 - 3 6 0º 0 0 '. 0 - 3 6 0º 0 0 '. 0
LHA Aries º ' º ' º '
12
11 , or 11 - 360° 00.0 00.0 00.0
ASSUMED LAT N º ' º ' º '
13
from DR in 1, rounded off S 00.0 00.0 00.0
º ' º ' º '

14 SEXTANT ALT Hs
. . .
Off the arc + ' ' '
15 +/- +/- +/-
INDEX CORRECTION On the arc - . . .
º ' º ' º '
16 CORRECTED Hs
. . .
' ' '
17 HT OF EYE ( ) DIP - - - -
. . .
º ' º ' º '
18 APPARENT ALT. Ha 16 – 17
. . .
MAIN CORRECTION for Ha ' ' '
19 - - -
from column “Stars & Planets” . . .
º ' º ' º '
20 OBSERVED ALT. Ho 18 – 19
. . .
COMPUTED Alt Hc for Stars, from Vo. 1, º ' º ' º '
21
given 12 (LHA ) and 13 (Assumed Lat) .0 .0 .0
INTERCEPT 20 - 21 or 21 - 20 ' ' '
22
Ho > Hc : T ; Ho < Hc : A T/A . T/A . T/A .
COMPUTED Zn for Star, from Vol 1, º º º
23
given 12 (LHA ) and 13 (Ass. Lat) Zn:

73.
Plotting

74. LOPs with Evening Sun, Moon, and Polaris

SUN MOON POLARIS
Greenwich date: 29 Oct. 2003 29 Oct. 2003 29 Oct. 2003
Course: 090 T 090 T 090 T
Speed: 12 kn 12 kn 12 kn
Ded Reckoning (DR): 11° 00.0' N 11° 00.0' N 11° 00.0' N
090° 00.0' W 090° 00.0' W
090° 00.0' W
Chronometer (UTC): 22 h 30 min 00 s 00 h 15 min 39 s 00 h 16 min 30 s
Chronometer error: 1 min 18 s, fast 1 min 18 s, fast 1 min 18 s, fast
Sextant altitude Hs: 15° 14.0'(LL) 40° 03.0' (UL) 11° 27.7'
Index error: 4.0' on the arc 4.0' on the arc 4.0' on the arc
Plot the three LOPs; advance the sun LOP to 00:15 and show the fix at that time; verify the latitude
with the Polaris LOP.

74. LOP by Pub. No. 249: SUN LL / UL

Calculations (1)
DR LAT N ° '
1 .
E ° '
2
20
21
h min s 22
20 +/- 21; Copy to 25 S .
CRONO. SLOW +
4
5 UTC TIME
h min s
º '
23 LHA ( from 18 or 19 )
º ' 00.0
6 SEXTANT ALT Hs
Off the arc + ' 24
º ' 25
. COMPUTED ALT Hc
9 HT OF EYE ( ) DIP - . 26
º ' Note d ( + / - ) in 27, & Z in 31 .0
10 APPARENT ALT. Ha
.
d( + / - )
27 + '
12 28
Copy to 29 . in 25 .0
OBS. ALT Ho º '
29
from 12 .
30
13
31 Z º Z º
GHA TOTAL º '
15 32 Zn º Zn º
13 +14 .
+ 3 6 0° 00 .0
16
[60' - ' in 16] if long E E+ .
18
15 or 16 +/- 17; 00.0
19 Copy 18 or 19 to 23

74.
Calculations (2) LOP by Pub. No. 249; MOON LL / UL
DR LAT N ° '
1
E ° '
2
DR LONG W . Local Hour Angle
Time of sight º '
19 GHA from 18
.
3 CHRONOMETER +3 6 0 ° 0 0.0
h min s
CRONO. SLOW + Add 360° if W longitude > GHA º '
4 20
CORRECTION FAST - min s to allow subtraction in 21 .
5 ASSUMED LONG º from 2
UTC TIME 21 [ ' from 20] if long W W- º '
h min s
[60' - ' from 20] if long E E+ .
Moon Altitude and Corrections 22
20 +/ – 21 00.0
º ' Subtract 360° if required -360º 0 0 '. 0
6 SEXTANT ALT Hs
.
23 LHA Copy 22 or 23 to 27
Off the arc + '
7
8 CORRECTED Hs
º ' Moon Declination (Almanac, daily pages)
.
' DEC of the Moon N º '
9 HT OF EYE ( ) DIP - . 24
º ' INCREMENT in DEC for min
10 APPARENT ALT. Ha
. 25 and s in 5 (“d” = + / - ’/h) + '
MAIN CORRECTION to Ha (Inc. and Corr., table “v or d”) - .
11 for ° of “App. Alt”, & nearest ' DEC TOTAL N º '
10’ (top table for the Moon) + . 26
24 + 25; Copy to 29 S .
12 and for sights on “UL” or “LL”, Sight Reduction Tables, Pub. No. 249
(same column, bottom table) ' LHA (from 22, minus 360° if º '
(HP = . ’) + . 27
required ) 00.0
'
13 Subtract 30’ for a sight on UL ASSUMED LAT N º '
- . 28
OBSERVED ALT. Ho
DEC of the Moon N º '
14 10 + 11 + 12 [ - 13 ?] º ' 29
from 26 S .
Copy to 33 .
COMPUTED ALT Hc
for 27, 28 and 29; “same” or
Moon GHA (Almanac, Daily pages) 30
“contrary”, for Dec ° only. º '
GHA of the Moon º ' Note d (+/-) in 31, & Z in 35 .0
15 d( + / - ) CORR’N to Hc
for that day, and for hours in (5) .
MAIN INCREMENT in GHA 31 for ' of Dec. Use Table 5 (back + '
16 for min and s in 5 º ' of the book), for ' of Dec. in 29 - .0
(Inc. and Corr. Table, Moon) + . º '
HC CORRECTED for ' of Dec
Additional increment “v” for the 32 .0
moon, for min in 5 º '
17 33 OBS. ALT Ho from 14
(Inc. and Corr. Table “v or d”) ' .
( “v” = + ’/h) + . INTERCEPT Ho > Hc : T '
GHA TOTAL º ' 34
18 Ho < Hc : A T/A .
15 + 16 + 17; Copy to 19 .
N. Lat.: { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = Z
360º 180º
{ LHA < 180°, …………Zn = 360 – Z
S. Lat { LHA > 180°, …………Zn = 180 – Z
{ LHA < 180°, …………Zn = 180 + Z
36 Zn º Zn º

74.
Calculations (3)
LOP by Pub. No. 249; LATITUDE BY POLARIS

DR LAT N ° ' GHA of Aries , and Local Hour Angle of Aries

1
S .
DR LONG E ° ' GHA of Aries º '
2 13
Copy in full to (19) W . for hours in 5 .
INCREMENT in GHA of Aries º '
14 for min and s in 5; Inc and Cor. table + .
GHA TOTAL of Aries º '
15
13 + 14 .
Time of sight (UTC ) Add 360° if Longitude W > GHA,
16 (+ 360º ) 0 0 '. 0
to allow subtraction in 19
3 CHONOMETER º '
h min s 17 GHA of Aries
CRONO. SLOW +
.
4 DR LONGITUDE ( º and ' ) º '
CORRECTION FAST - min s 18
from 2 .
5 LOCAL HOUR ANGLE (Aries)
UTC TIME
h min s 19 [15 or 17] - 18 if long W º '
[15 + 18] if long E .
Polaris Altitude (Almanac, Altitude Correction tables)
º '
6 SEXTANT ALT Hs
. Corrections for Ho (Almanac, Polaris tables)
Off the arc + '
7
INDEX CORRECTION On the arc - . a0 for LHA Aries , for
º ' 20 degrees ( º ) , with mental '
8 CORRECTED Hs + .
. interpolation for minutes ( ’ )
' '
9
21 a1 for Latitude + .
º ' '
10
APPARENT ALT. Ha
.
22 a2 for Month + .
MAIN CORRECTION for Ha ' OBSERVED ALT. Ho º '
11 23
from column “Stars & Planets” - . from 12 .
OBSERVED ALT. Ho of Polaris º ' Corrected Ho º '
12 24
Copy to (23) . 20 + 21 + 22 + 23 .
'
25 Remove 1°
-1º 00.0
26
Latitude by Polaris, º '
N/S .
º
27 Zn (bottom of Polaris table) .

74.
Plotting

ANSWERS
ANSWERS
to the
CLASS AND HOME EXERCISES
Answers to Class Exercises 1-58 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101

Answers to Specific Home Exercises 59-69. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Answers to Inclusive Home-Review Exercises 70-74 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

Answers to Class Exercise 1-58
1.
2.
3.

4.
5.

6.
7.

8.
9.

10.
11.

12.
13.
14.

15.
16.

17.
18.

19.
Calculations

19.
Plotting

20.
21.
22.

23.
24.
25.

26.
Calculations

26.
Plotting

27.
Calculations

27.
Plotting

28.
Calculations

26, 27 & 28.

Plotting

29.

30.
31.
32.

33.

34.

35.

36.
Calculations

36.
Sight 36B. Plotting
Plotting

37.
38.

39.

40.

41.
42.
43.

44.
45.

46.
47.
48.
49.

50.
51.

52.

53.
54.

55.

56.

57 & 58.
Plotting

138
Answers to
Specific Home Exercises 59 - 69

Answers to Specific Home Exercises 59-69
59.

Plotting
59.

60.
61.
62.

63.
64.

65.

66.

67.
a) Estimation of Longitude.

Home Exercise 67
Plotting of the Sun trajectory
67.

b) Calculation of Latitude

68.
Calculations

68.
Plotting

69.
Calculations

69.
Plotting

Answers to
Inclusive Home - Review Exercises 70 - 74

Answers to Inclusive Home-Review Exercises 70-74
70.
The answers are given on page 155 and 156; the plotting is shown on page 157.
The sights are taken at approximately 01:05 UTC, i.e. at 01:05 + (057.5° of Long. E / 15° per hour =
3:50; use the Conversion of Arc to Time table in Appendix 2, p. 15) = 04:55 local meridian time. At
11° Lat. S, on Oct. 29, the Nautical Twilight starts at 04:44, and the civil twilight at 05:09. The two
planets are thus clearly visible above the horizon at 04:55.
In the Planet Altitude section of the forms, where Ho is calculated, the provision for additional
correction for Mars or Venus does not apply. The adjustment for the very small change in Declination
per hour, under Planet Declination, is 0' per hour for Saturn, and –0.2' per hour for Jupiter. Both are
too small to result in any adjustment in Declination for the time of sight.
For the calculation of the GHA of the planets, the Additional adjustment v for the particular planet
(box 16) must be included. This adjustment is v = + 2.5' per hour for Saturn, and v = + 2.1' per hour
for Jupiter. The resulting adjustments for the GHA of the planets at the time of sight is thus +0.3' for
Saturn, and +0.3' for Jupiter.
The choice of an Assumed Longitude for the boat is determined by its eastern longitude: the local
hour angle (between the boat and the planets) is the boat longitude (to the east) + the planets’ GHA (to
the west). Therefore, in order to obtain a round LHA and use the Sight Reduction Tables directly, the
minutes of longitude of the boat must be chosen so that, when added to the known minutes of GHA of
the planets, they total up to 60 (adding one degree to the LHA), and thus cancel out. The minutes of GHA
for Saturn are 03.6', so that the minutes of boat longitude must be chosen as 56.4' (box 20). For Jupiter,
the minutes of GHA are 27.4', so that the minutes of boat longitude must be chosen as 32.6' (box 20).
From the Sight Reduction Tables, we find that, for Saturn, the bearing Zn is 348° (box 35). Saturn is
to the N-NW, and high in the sky (Ho = 56° above the horizon). Jupiter is rising in the east, with a Zn
of 074°. It is 34° above the horizon. Their bearings, at nearly 90° from each other, give us an excellent
fix, 5 NM southeast of our DR.

70.
Calculations (1)

70.
Calculations (2)

70.
Plotting

71.
The answers are given on pages 159, 160 and 161; the plotting is shown on page 162.
1. AM Sun sight. After chronometer correction, the AM sight is taken at 07:14:15. Along the local
(boat) meridian, the time of the sight is 07:14:15 + (the time taken by the sun to travel 12° 22' at 15°/h,
= 0 h 48 min + 1 min 28 s (Conversion of Arc to Time, Appendix A2-15) = 49 min 28 s). Local meridian
time for the sight: 08:03:43. This is approximately two hours after sunrise, which is at 6:05 on April
20th at latitude 11° S (Appendix 2, p. 5).
The Assumed Longitude of the boat is chosen in order to cancel the minutes of LHA (Sun GHA to
the west + Boat Longitude to the east) so that the Sight Reduction Tables can be used directly. The
sun’s GHA finishes with 48.4'; the minutes of the Assumed Longitude of the boat must therefore be
60' – 48.4' = 11.6'.
As seen from this southern latitude two hours after sunrise, the sun is to the E-NE (Zn = 072°), at Ho
= 25° above the horizon.
2. Noon sight. On April 20, 2003, the sun crosses the meridian of Greenwich at 11:59 (Mer. Pass.
in the Almanac). It therefore crossed the boat meridian earlier, at 11:59 - (the time it takes the Sun
to travel 12º 28'.0 at 15º per hour), or 11:59 - (0h 48 min + 1 min 52 s (Conversion of Arc to Time) =
11:59:00 - 00:49:52 = 11:09:08. This is the time when the noon sight should be taken. The sun is then
straight north of the boat, and the LOP for the noon sight is a parallel of latitude.
The morning LOP is advanced, parallel to itself, by the distance travelled by the boat between the
morning and noon sights, i.e. four hours at 6 kn, or 24 NM. Note that the Log could have been used:
distance travelled between the sights: 1,024 – 1,000 = 24 NM. This provides the noon fix.
3. The PM sight is done in the same way as the AM sight. The LOP for the noon sight (parallel of
latitude) is moved in the direction of travel by 24 miles (four hours of travel) to provide the afternoon fix.

71.
Calculations (1)

71.
Calculations (2)

71.
Calculations (3)

71.
Plotting

72.
The answers are given on page 164 and 165; the plotting is shown on page 166.
1. Moon sight. After chronometer correction, the AM sight is taken at 18:14:12, UTC time and date.
Along the local (boat) meridian, the time of the sight is 18:14:12 + (the time taken by the sun to travel
170° 00' at 15°/h, or 11 h 20 min). Local meridian time for the sight: 29:34:12, or 05:34:12 on
August 21. At Lat. = 11° S, on August 20 (UTC), moonrise was at 00:50; the Nautical Twilight started at 05:30,
and the Civil Twilight at 05:48. At 05:34, the moon is already high, over a clearly visible dawn horizon.
The Assumed Longitude of the boat is chosen in order to cancel the minutes of LHA (Sun GHA to the west +
boat longitude to the east) so that the Sight Reduction Tables can be used directly. The moon’s GHA finishes
with 07.1'; the minutes of the Assumed Longitude of the boat must therefore be 60' – 07.1' = 52.9'.
On August 20, the moon has a Declination of 22° North: it is nearly over the Tropic of Cancer. As seen from
11° of latitude south, five hours after moonrise, the moon is nearly straight north (Zn = 016°), and high above
the horizon: Ho = 55°.
2. Sun sight. The sun sight is taken at 20:14 + (11:20 + 0:02 ; see the table Conversion of Arc to Time, Appendix
2, p. 15) = 31:36 or 07:36 on August 21. Sunrise was at 06:10. The sun is N of the equator, with a Declination
of 12° N; at the time of the sight, the sun is to the E-NE (Zn = 073°), some 20° over the horizon.
3. LOP and fix. The moon LOP can be moved to the east (true course: 090°) by the distance travelled by the boat
between the two sights in two hours, i.e. 12 NM (also given by the Log). The intersection of the sun sight with
the advanced Line of Position from the moon sight gives us our 20:14 fix.

72.
Calculations (1)

72.
Calculations (2)

72.
Plotting

73.
The numerical answers are given on page 168 and 169; the plotting is shown on page 170.
For each star, using Vol. 1 of Pub. No. 249 (Selected Stars), we calculate the exact GHA of Aries for
the time of the sight, and then select a smart assumed-longitude for our boat. This gives us an LHA of
Aries in round degrees of longitude. For these LHAs, and given our latitude, the tables of Vol. 1 give
us directly the calculated altitude Hc for each star; the difference between Hc and the sextant altitude
Ho gives us the intercept. We also read Zn, the bearing of each star, directly from the tables.
From the Almanac, we note the following data for the three stars, rounded off, to help get a picture
of the sky:
Regulus Sirius Capella
Declination: 12° N 17° S 46° N
Sideral Hour Angle: 208° 259° 281°
Greenwich Hour Angle of Aries: 205° 206° 207°
GHA star (SHA + GHA – 360): 53° 105° 128°
Longitude of boat West: –089° –089° –089°
Local Hour Angle of star: 324° 016° 039°
Regulus is 36° east of the boat, at the boat latitude; it should be fairly high, towards the east. Sirius is
16° to the west; with a relatively small south Declination (Dec = 17° S), it should be fairly high also,
towards the SW. Capella is 39° to the west, well north of the boat (Dec = 46° N): it should be fairly
high also, to the NW.
The approximate Declination tells us whether we can use the Sight Reduction Tables – Pub. No. 249,
which are limited to Declinations of 29°. For Capella (Dec = 46 Sight Reduction Tables), we cannot;
we will have to use the simplified method with data from Vol. 1 – Selected Stars.
Note that, for Sirius (Fig. 73.3), the intercept is particularly large: 58' (58 NM). This is because we did
not adjust the Assumed Longitude of our position by one degree (line 10 of the Sirius column) to select
an Assumed Position as near to the DR as possible: given our DR Longitude of 089° W, we should have
selected an Assumed Longitude of 088° 53.2', rather than 089° 53.2'. The end result is not affected.

73.
Calculations (1)

73.
Calculations (2)
The bearing of Regulus, 085° T, is the same as in the Pre-selected Stars Table (Fig. 73.2). The Intercept, however,
is different: 12.1 NM Towards, against 18.1 NM Towards in the Pre-selected Stars Table. This is because the
Assumed Positions are different. The Line of Position is the same with both methods.

73.
Calculations (3)
The bearing of Sirius, 211° T, is the same as in the Pre-selected Stars Table (Fig. 73.2). The Intercept, however,
is different: 19.0 NM Towards, against 28.0 NM Towards in the Pre-selected Stars Table. This is because the
Assumed Positions are different. The Line of Position is exactly the same with both methods.

73.
Plotting

74.
The answers are given on pages 173, 174 and 175; the plotting is shown on page 176.
1. Sun sight. At longitude 090° W, the local time in the time zone is exactly six hours earlier than
UTC time, or close to 16:30 when we take the sun sight. On October 29 (Appendix 2, p. 13), the
Sun is south of the equator (Dec 13° S). From our 10° N latitude, we must see the Sun to the W-SW.
In fact, we find a Zn of 253°. The Sun is only 15° above the horizon (Hc) because we are taking
our sight approximately one hour before sunset (17:38). The Almanac also gives the times of the
Nautical Twilight, from approximately 18:00 to 18:25 (Almanac times), during which we are able
to take a sight on the Moon and Polaris.
We draw the LOP for the sun at 22:29 UTC, and advance it by the distance traveled
by the boat until the next sight, at 00:14 (moon). During this leg of 1 h and 45 min, at
12 NM / h, the boat has traveled due east (heading: 090° T), by 21 NM [Speed: 12 kn;
distance = 12 x (1 + 3/4)].
2. Moon sight. On October 29 in the evening, using the local time along the boat meridian,
i.e. on October 30, early in the morning by UTC time, we take a moon sight. The moon
sets at 22:40 (Almanac time; Appendix 2, p. 13); the moon is still high above the horizon
when we take our sight at 18:14:21. Indeed, we find the moon altitude (Hc) to be close to 41°.
By advancing the sun sight by the distance traveled exactly east by the boat (1 h 45 min at 12 kn,
or 21 NM), we get an evening fix at 18:14. We find our latitude as 11° 14.0' N.
3. The sight on Polaris confirms our latitude.

74.
Calculations (1)

74.
Calculations (2)

74.
Calculations (3)

74.
Plotting

APPENDICES
Appendix 1
Sight Reduction Work Forms
A1-1 Celestial Navigation Exercises 181

182 Celestial Navigation Exercises A1-2






Appendix 2
Almanac Tables


























Polaris Appendix 2: Almanac Tables

Appendix 2: Almanac Tables Polaris

Moon Appendix 2: Almanac Tables

Appendix 2: Almanac Tables Moon

Appendix 3






A3-6










Appendix 4
Selected Stars
Appendix 4: Selected Stars

Appendix 4: Selected Stars

Other Books Published by Dominique Prinet
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Using the Sight Reduction Tables
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Celestial Navigation Exercises iii

Session 1: Sextant Corrections (Exercises 1-3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 1

Session 4: Sight Reduction Tables (16-19). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 13

Session 5: Review Exercises on the Sun; Plotting (20-28) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 21

Session 6: Twilight; Moon (29-33). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 29

Session 7: Planets; Stars; Selected Stars; Polaris (34-40) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 33

Session 8: Review Exercises, entire course (41-58). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 41

2. Specific Home Exercises:

Home Exercises 59-67 following Session 3:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 55

Home Exercises 68-69 following Session 4:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 65

3. Inclusive Home Review Exercises:

LOPs from three sights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 71

Answers to Class Exercises 1-58 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 99

Answers to Specific Home Exercises 59-69. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 139

Answers to Inclusive Home-Review Exercises 70-74 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 153

Celestial Navigation Exercises v

Appendix 1: Sight Reduction Work Forms

Appendix 2: Almanac Tables

Appendix 3: Sight Reduction Tables from Pub. No. 249

Appendix 4: Selected Stars from Pub. No. 249, Vol. 1

vi Celestial Navigation Exercises

Celestial Navigation Exercises 1

1. Sextant corrections, index error

Sextant altitude Hs 27° 45.0' 59° 13.0' 07° 23.7

Index error 21.0' Off 28.0' On 36.4' Off

2. Sextant corrections, correction for Dip

' ' '

3. Sextant corrections, main correction

Body observed Sun, UL Sun, LL Sun, UL

Time of year October June March

Apparent altitude Ha 20° 09.1' 49° 53.9' 17° 06.1'

Main correction, for

2 Celestial Navigation Exercises

Measures of time; Conversions arcs time;

Celestial Navigation Exercises 3

4. Sextant corrections, all corrections combined

Body observed Sun, LL Sun, UL Sun, LL

Time of year April July November

Sextant altitude Hs 37° 59.1' 49° 03.0' 17° 56.6'

Index error 2.7' Off 8.1' On 4.5' Off

Height of eye 2.9 m 3.3 m 9.0 feet

DIP ' ' '

Apparent altitude Ha ° ' ° ' ° '

Observed altitude Ho ° ' ° ' ° '

4 Celestial Navigation Exercises

5. Corrections to the chronometer

Chronometer 2: 22:09:19; 12 min 39 s fast

Chronometer 3: 18:53:19; 08 min 47 s slow

6. Almanac table “Conversion of Arc to Time”, to convert arcs

Boat longitude 123° 08.25' W 068° 28.75' W 041° 37.50' E

Celestial Navigation Exercises 5

7. Almanac pages “Increments and Corrections”, to convert times to arcs

UTC time of sun’s

6 Celestial Navigation Exercises

Time of sun’s crossing of the Greenwich

Celestial Navigation Exercises 7

9. Meridian and zone times; determination of longitude

6. Almanac table “Conversion of Arc to Time”, to convert arcs

7. Almanac pages “Increments and Corrections”, to convert times to arcs

1. Estimate the approximate GHA of the sun. ________________________________________________________