NAVIGATION

(NAUTICAL SCIENCE)
 NAVIGATION
(Nautical Science)

Celestial Line of Position

 Celestial Sphere

Position of a Celestial Body at any instant is

indicated by its Declination and GHA at that
instant

Geographical Position (GP) of a celestial body is

the point on the surface of the Earth, vertically
beneath that body (i.e., the point at which a
straight line from the centre of the Earth to the
celestial body meets the Earth’s surface)
Celestial Sphere
Body X Dec 20° N
GHA 30°

GP of X is 20° N, 030° W

Suppose, now the TA of 70°

give ZD of 20° with
X at its Centre & radius of
20° draw a Circle around X

Every point on this circle,

ZD of X would be 20° to
all observers who observed
Alt simultaneously
Hence, ZD alone not sufficient to determine position of CB
Suppose, for a ship, true bearing
of X happens to be North;
then the Ship would be at
the Equator & on the same
Geographical Meridian of X

Obs posn of ship would be Lat 0;

Long 030 W as the line of
bearing (000° T) cuts the circle at
a definite position

Suppose another ship had the

CB ‘X’ bore South, then the Obs
posn of that ship would be Lat
40°N; Long 030 W as line of
bearing cuts the circle at a
definite position.
Suppose, from yet another ship
the body X bore 125° T, (dotted
line) then this line of bearing
drawn on the globe would cut
the circle at the ship position

Now consider body Y, which has

same Dec as X (20°N) but a GHA
of 60°, its GP (Y) at 20N, 060W.

If observation taken of CB Y,
(simultaneously with X), &
assume Zenith Dist of Y is 15° &
its bearing 240° (T).
With Y as Centre, describe a circle of radius of 15°. At first instance,
this would give us the ship’s circle of posn around Y, but the true brg
240 could be used to fix position of ship on that circle
Both Circles (X & Y) intersect at A & B, indicating two possible posns
Here, the True Bearing of the CB
(of both) will indicate which of
the two positions is the correct
one, ie Position ‘A’

Therefore, given the GP of a

Body, ZD & Azimuth at a
particular moment of time, the
posn of Obs on the Earth’s
surface may be fixed relative to
the CB .
But Azimuth can’t be found
accurately & it is not possible to
draw a such large circles on chart
Hence, method has to be modified. Like range & bearing of a light
house used for terrestrial fixing, we can make use of a position line
method…. As CB is a moving body unlike light house (which is plotted on
the chart permanently), it is slightly different….
A is the light house and AB is the position line. If radar range of light
house is taken, it gives a “Circle of Position” centered on the light
house.
While the true bearing of the light house gives a radial line cutting the
circumference at right angles.

Same practice is followed in position line methods substituting a CB for

the light house, with this exception, ie, CB is moving unlike fixed light
house.
 C

B A

Suppose, we were to estimate the distance of the light house

to be 7 NM when true bearing was 090 (T)
Then, lay off the bearing AB on the Chart & plot the posn C with approx
range 7 NM…. & certainly we know that ship is somewhere on the line
of position AB
Now take Radar range & find it 5 NM, then obs posn would be at D, ie 2
NM nearer towards the light house along line of posn ‘AB’. Or it can be
called ‘the intercept 2 NM towards’. In case, range was 9 NM, then Obs
posn would be at E, ie 2 NM away from light house (or) ‘Intercept 2
NM away’ (method adopted in Celestial navigation is same)
 Celestial Sphere

Altitude of a Celestial Body at any instant is

observed, then corrected to get True Altitude.
From here, find the Zenith Distance (90-TA), which
is the Great Circle distance in nautical miles of the
Obs from the GP of the CB.

Azimuth at that time of Obs is also noted.

We do not draw the complete circles but only those parts

where they cut in the vicinity of ship, curvature of circle
be neglected & assumed as straight line for short distance
 Celestial Sphere

DR position is assumed to be in the vicinity of

ship’s likely position & Zenith Dist of the body for
this assumed DR is calculated at that instant

DR is at a point lying somewhere along the

position line. Hence position line is drawn
through the DR position at right angles to the
true bearing of the body observed
 Celestial Sphere

If Observed ZD is 2 NM less than Calculated ZD, then

position line would be drawn through a point on the line
of bearing 2 NM nearer to the body, this distance is called
Intercept & is said to be 2 NM towards CB

Remember, Zenith Dist obtained by Sextant observation

is the actual or true distance of the ship from GP of the
body (calculated ZD is the distance the ship would have
been from the body had it been at the DR posn)
 Celestial Sphere

Hence, a Celestial Position line is a line drawn on a chart

at right angles to the True Bearing of the CB under
observation, &

the position of the ship is being somewhere on that line

(Posn line is a tangent to the circle of position)

The problem which presents itself in navigation is to find

the position on the line of bearing through which to draw
a position line, this position is known as the “Intercept
Terminal Position (ITP)”
 Celestial Sphere
Plotting Posn Line - Needed Information
-Take DR
- Find True Zenith Distance from observed Sextant Altitude … True
Altitude
- Find “Calculated Zenith Dist” using DR position
- Find Intercept (TZD ˜ CZD). If true ZD more then Intercept Away
from CB, if less then Intercept towards CB
- Find Azimuth of the body (ABC Table or Formula)

Procedure to plot Position Line

Plot DR posn at ‘A’ on Chart or paper (it is only assumed posn)
Lay off from ‘A’ the direction of CB true bearing & measure off the
intercept from A depend on away or towards CB, & name it point
‘B’.
Through ‘B’ draw the position line at right angles to the bearing of
the CB. The ship is somewhere on this PL. This point B is called ITP.
Procedure to plot
Position Line
Make a Scale 1 CM to 2 NM
or as needed

Plot DR posn
Plot Intercept Dist along
Azimuth depends on
situation

Draw position line of both

observations or as
situation demands

Read the Dep & DLat dist

from Obs posn spot, to
find Lat & Long of the Obs
Posn from DR
 Celestial Sphere
Method of Obtaining Position Lines using a CB

Intercept Method (Simultaneous Observation of CBs)

Meridian Altitude Method
Ex-Meridian Method
Long by Chron Method

Longitude by Chronometer Method

-An alternative technique to find the position through which to

draw a position line.
-This position is given by DR Latitude and the Calculated Longitude
- When the CB bears due East or West, the PL coincides with a
Meridian & only in this case, the method will give a true longitude
- This method is not suitable for CB approaching Meridian passage
- Suitable for morning sun’s observation followed by Meralt
Longitude by Chronometer Method

- Find the DR

- Take observation of Sun in the morning time

- From Nautical Almanac, get the Dec & GHA of the CB at
that instant
- Correct the Altitude & get Zenith Distance (ZX)
- Find Polar Distance (PX) & Co-LAT (PZ)
- Draw a Figure PZX drawing for these values obtained
-
Longitude by Chronometer Method
-Use Cos P formula to find the value of Angle ‘P’
-Calculate the LHA by the formula (GHA = LHA – Long E + Long W)
(Body West of Mer – LHA lies betn 0° to 180° & East of the Meridian –
LHA lies betn 180° to 360°)
- Find the Longitude by difference betn LHA & GHA
-Find the Azimuth by ABC Table or formula
- Draw the Position Line (PL will run through at right angle to Az and
through calculated position, ie, DR Lat & Longitude obtained above).
- Note the results, together with the time and log reading in readiness
for the next observation (MERALT). Note that in this method, there is
no Intercept. PL is drawn straight through the calculated position
Longitude by Chronometer Method to combine with MERALT
Position line obtained by the ‘Long by Chron’ be combined with a
Latitude by Meridian Altitude of the Sun

-For a given DR Posn, find the GMT, Observed Alt to calculate

Longitude and Az for a position line by ‘Long by Chron’ Method
- For the Course steered and distance travelled till Merpass Alt time,
transfer the position line
(Here use ‘DR Lat & Long obtained by Chron Method’ as initial posn &
find Dep & Dlat from Traverse Table to find the DR at Merpass Obs)
-Find the Latitude by Merpass Alt method
- To get the Position at Merpass time,
Find the difference between ‘2nd DR Latitude’ & Observed Latitude
obtained from ‘Meralt method’. This difference will be the Dlat, ie, the
Intercept in the direction of Azimuth of Sun (000° or 180°) during
Meralt.
Plot both observations & you will get corrected Longitude at Merpass.
 Longitude by Chronometer Method to combine with MERALT

Scale

Obs Posn by
Long by
Chron
Method
2nd DR for
Obs Posn by Long by Chron Method
Noon Obs
is done first

DR Latitude & Long is calculated

from that posn for run till Merpass
time & Posn line of ‘Long by Chron‘
is transferred on to this DR Posn

Posn Line for Latitude by Merpass

plotted. Where it cuts the Tr PL is Final Obs
the Posn (Lat & Long) at Noon Posn at
Merpass
Equinoctial System
 Position Lines

A Line, somewhere on which, the Ship must

be situated is called a Position Line

The True Bearing of a Terrestrial Object provides a

position line, drawn from the object in a direction
opposite the bearing

To fix the Ship’s Position, at least Two PL are

necessary & intersection of PL gives the Position

Accuracy of the position increases as the Angle of

cut approaches 90 °
Position Line from Celestial Observations

LATITUDE
Rational
Horizon
Cel Mer thru Body

Co LAT
Prime
Vertical ZD

LATITUDE True
Declination Altitude

Equinoctial
Celestial Meridian
thru Observer
 Position Line from Celestial Observations

GHA & Dec for any Celestial Body obtained from Nautical Almanac

Cele Observations are done when DR of ship is known, hence we are interested
in finding a small arc of the Position Circle (G.P of Body) near the Ships’ DR.
This small arc appear as straight line

Radius of the Circle meets the circumference at 90°

From any point on the circumference of the position circle, the radius
represent the direction to the body’s GP, that is, the body’s azimuth

Thus, from an observation of the altitude of a cele body, we can obtain a

position line, drawn as a straight line at right angles to the azimuth

Posn line obtained from celestial observation are laid off as

straight lines perpendicular to the azimuth of the body
 Position Line from Celestial Observations
Position Line obtained from Celestial Observation will lie at right angles to the
Azimuth of the body

Once the Azimuth of the body is calculated, the direction of the Position Line is
easily obtained .

To be noted that when the Body bears exactly North or South (as the case in
Meridian Altitude calculation) the position line will run exactly East – West,
coinciding with the Latitude of the Ship

When the Body bears exactly East or West, then the PL will run North – South,
coinciding with the Longitude of the Ship

Once Altitude of the celestial body is known at an instant time, various

methods are used to obtain the direction of the PL and position through which
to draw it. One of them is Latitude by Meridian Altitude
 Latitude by Meridian Altitude
MERALT is the max altitude attained by the body for a stationary observer.

Celestial Body when on Observers’ Meridian, bearing is North or South and

hence the PL will run exactly East / West (coincide with Lat)

Finding the Lat by MERALT involves

-From DR Longitude, find GMT of Merpass at the observer.

-Convert GMT to Ships’ Time and Observe the Meralt of the body then.
-Correct the Altitude & name it N or S, according to the bearing of the body
when on the Meridian.
-Subtract the TA from 90° to get MZD & name it opposite to the Bearing
-Obtain Declination of the Body for that GMT
-Apply Dec to MZD using rule “Same Name ADD” & “Diff Name SUBSTRACT”
and the Latitude so obtained according to the greater of the two.
-PL obtained will be East – West
LAT = MZD +/- DEC
Thank you