CELESTIAL

NAVIGATION 3
For Second mate

Prepared By : M. Karimi Fard

Edition : 20-1

April 2020

M. Karimi Fard Page 1

 CELESTIAL NAVIGATION 3 INDEX

1. Definition
2. Circumpolar Body
3. Finding Position Line
3.1. Meridian Passage
3.2. Ex-Meridian
3.3. Intercept
3.4. Long By Choron

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 Section 1 Definition

a) GHA : (Greenwich Hour Angle)

- Is the angular distance of the celestial body west ward from Greenwich meridian

b) LHA : (Local Hour Angle)

- Is the angular distance of celestial body west ward from the observer meridian (Zenit)

c) SHA : (Sidereal Hour Angle)

- Is the angular distance of Star and Planet west ward from Meridian passing from First point of Aries

Celestial body

GHA

GHA¥ Long Observer

Aries LHA

Greenwich

d) ALTITUDE :
- The arc of vertical circle contained between the rational horizon & a celestial body at any instant is true
altitude of that body.

e) ZENITH DISTANCE :
- The arc of the vertical circle which passes through the body and observer zenith

f) SENSIBLE HORIZON :
- This is the plane through the observer's eye & parallel to rational horizon.

g) VISIBLE HORIZON :
- This is the horizon which is visible to observer.
- The visible horizon will always lie below the plane of the sensible horizon .

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 h) DIP :
- The angle at the observer's eye between the sensible horizon & visible horizon
- An observed altitude must have the dip subtracted from it in order to obtain apparent altitude.

i) APPARENT ALTITUDE :
- The angular height of the body along a vertical circle above the sensible horizon.

ZENITH
OBSERVER'S EYE

SENSIBLE HORIZON APPARENT

DIP ALTITUDE
SENSIBLE HORIZON
VISIBLE HORIZON Obs.
RATIONAL HORIZON Alt. DIP

VISIBLE HORIZON

j) REFRACTION :
- All rays of lights passing through the earth atmosphere are affected by refraction when they pass the
layers of air with different density.
- The effect of refraction is to make object appear at greater altitude than they really are.

k) SEMI-DIAMETER :
- The angular radius of the body subtended at the observation.
- The correction will be
o Positive to a Lower limb observation
o Negative to a Upper limb observation

l) AUGMENTATION :
- In case of moon the variation of the semi-diameter with altitude is significant due to short distance
between earth & moon compare to earth radius
- Additional correction which increase the semi-diameter must be applied, this correction is called the
Augmentation to the semi-diameter of moon
- Moon's semi-diameter = semi-diameter + Augmentation

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 m) PARALLAX :
- Is equal to the angle at the center of the body which is subtended by the radius of the earth through the
observer.
- True altitude = apparent altitude + angle of parallax
- The angle of parallax is
o Maximum when the body is on the horizon
o Zero when the body is on the zenith

n) HORIZONTAL PARALLAX :
- The max. value of parallax, occurring when the body is on the sensible horizon or the rational horizon is
called Horizontal Parallax.
- The value of the horizontal parallax will depend upon the radius of the earth and the distance of the
body from the earth center.
- For the SUN The horizon parallax is negligible and only use parallax
- For the MOON this value is quite considerable and will also vary with the value for the earth radius,
which considering the ellipticity of the earth figure & will decrease with increasing latitude.
- The HP tabulated in the Almanac is for equator and for other latitude should be correct by reduction.
- Then The corrected HP used for parallax in altitude by this formula;
PARALLAX IN ALTITUDE = HP (corrected for latitude) x cos Altitude

UPPER LIMB

SEMI-DIAMETER LOWER LIMB PARLLAX IN ALTITUDE

APPARENT ALTITUDE
SENSIBLE HORIZON APPARENT ALTITUDE

RATIONAL HORIZON TRUE ALTITUDE

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 SEMI-DIAMETER

INCREASE SEMI-DIAMETER BY AUGMENTATION

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 Section 2 Circumpolar Body

CIRCUMPOLAR BODY :
- If body does not Rise and Set and all the time visible specially during passing above anti-meridian of the
observer called Circumpolar body.

- A body will be Circumpolar body for any observer if there are 2 condition ;
1. Declination of the body and latitude of the observer should be same name.
2. Latitude of the observer should be equal or greater than ( 90 – Declination )

PX = 90 – Dec.
ZX = Zenith Distance = 90 - T. Alt.
QZ = T. Lat.
PZ = 90 – Lat.

Hence : PZ = ZX – PX
90 – Lat. = (90 – T. Alt.) – (90 – Dec.)
90 – Lat. = Dec. – T.Alt.
Lat. = (90 – Dec.) + T. Alt.

X
P

W Z E

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 Section 3 Finding Position Line

- For fixing the position on chart we required at least two position line which cross each other and the cross
point is a fixed position.
- By using the celestial body we obtained the one position line at the time from one celestial body.
- There are different method to obtain the position line from celestial body ;
o Meridian passage (Mer-pass) : This method used when body is on the observer’s meridian
o Ex-meridian or near meridian : This method used when body is just near to meridian or just
passed the meridian
o Intercept : This method can be used any other time which observing the body is possible and is
not one above conditions (No Mer-pass or neither Ex-meridian)
o Long by Choron : in this method only obtain the tru longitude
- Calculating of position line by each of above method is different for each body, but there are a simple
procedure and steps which will be describe below.
- In Celestial Navigation there is a two main parameter which should be obtained from any method;
o Direction of position line
o And position that the position line will pass it

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 Section 3-1 Meridian Passage

➢ Question :
- Position line
- Latitude which through passes.
➢ Answer :
- Position line always 090˚/270˚
- Latitude find by the applying the TZX (True Zenith Distance) & Dec.
➢ Drawing :
- Draw the true latitude as a position line on the chart.

To find TZX for Sun , Planet, Star :

Sextant altitude
Index error + if Off the arc - in On the arc

Observed altitude
Dip extract from table in Almanac by height of eye (always Subtracted)

Apparent altitude
Total correction extract from Almanac by Apparent altitude ( is deferent for Sun,
planet or star)
True altitude
− 90˚

True zenith distance (TZX)

To find TZX for Moon :

Sextant altitude
Index error + if Off the arc - in On the arc

Observed altitude
Dip extract from table in Almanac by height of eye (always Subtracted)

Apparent altitude
1st correction extract from Almanac by Apparent altitude (always Added)
2nd correction extract from Almanac by Apparent altitude, HP and Lower limb Or Upper limb condition of
moon (Always Added) Subtracted 30' if the altitude is Upper limb
True altitude
− 90˚

True zenith distance ( TZX)

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 ➢ To find Latitude by meridian :
- Apply the Declination to TXZ ( add or subtract) as per;
o Condition of the body e.g. North or South of observer
o Bearing had been said in problem
o DR Position

Lat X TZX
Equator Dec

➢ Upper & Lower meridian transit :

1. Upper meridian transit :
- This case is the normal case & procedure is as above

2. Lower meridian transit

- This case happened when the Circumpolar body is on the anti-meridian of the observer
- LHA is not 0 & LHA is equal to 180˚
- The procedure for obtained the Altitude is same as upper meridian transit but for calculating the latitude
use the following formula :
True Latitude = True Altitude + ( 90 – Declination )

- The worlds “ Lower Meridian passage” or “Body below the Pole” is distinguished these type of
problems.

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 ➢ To find Latitude by meridian for Polaries :

Sextant altitude
Index error + if Off the arc - in On the arc

Observed altitude
Dip extract from table in Almanac by height of eye (always
Subtracted)

Apparent altitude
𝑎0 extract from Almanac by LHA of Aries
𝑎1 extract from Almanac by LHA of Aries & latitude
𝑎2 extract from Almanac by LHA of Aries & month
− 1˚

True Latitude

➢ Find azimuth :
- By use of same table for latitude by LHA & latitude

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 Section 3-2 EX-MERIDIAN (or NEAR MERIDIAN)

➢ Question :
- Position line
- Latitude which through passes.

➢ Answer :
- Position line is perpendicular to True bearing (obtain from ABC table)
- Latitude find by the applying the MZX & Dec.
- MXZ calculated from TZX by formula or table

➢ Drawing :
- Draw the position line at the intersect of DR long & Tue latitude on the chart.

☺☺ Same procedure for calculating the TZX from T.Alt. and Sextant Alt. should be followed.

➢ To find MZX (meridian zenith distance) :

- By formula :

𝒉𝒂𝒗 𝑴𝒁𝑿 = 𝒉𝒂𝒗. 𝑻𝒁𝑿 − 𝒉𝒂𝒗. 𝑳𝑯𝑨 × 𝒄𝒐𝒔. 𝒍𝒂𝒕 × 𝒄𝒐𝒔. 𝒅𝒆𝒄

TZX : Take in from Sextant Alt. (similar procedure as before)

LHA : Determine by GHA & Longitude
Lat : use DR Lat
Dec : extract from almanac

- By table :
Calculate the reduction from Ex-meridian table in the Norie's as follow:
o Extract the value of "A" from table 1 by Lat. & Dec.
 there is different table for Lat. & Dec. same name & different name
o Extract the reduction from table 2 by value of "A" and LHA
o This reduction always
▪ Added to True zenith distance in lower transit
▪ Subtracted from True zenith distance in upper transit

o If the reduction obtain from table 2 is large then should use table 3 and subtract the figure
extract from table 3 from Reduction.
o Table 4 of Ex-Meridian is only used for determining the limit of time which can use Ex-Meridian
table.

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 o Example :
A = 2.45
Reduction for 2.0 is 19.2
Reduction for 0.4 is 3.84 (extract the value for 4 and move the decimal point
one place)
Reduction for 0.05 is 0.48 (extract the value for 5 and move the decimal point
two places)

Reduction for 2.45 is 23.52’

➢ To find Latitude by Ex-meridian :

- Apply the Declination to MXZ ( add or subtract) as per;
o Condition of the body e.g. North or South of observer z
o True Bearing MZX TZX
o DR Position Lat
E Dec Q

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 Section 3-3 INTERCEPT

➢ Question :
- Position line
- position which through passes.

➢ Answer :
- Position line is perpendicular to True bearing (obtain from ABC table)
- position find by the traverse table from DR position
- calculate CXZ & determine TZX from sextant Altitude

➢ Drawing :
- Draw the position line at the ITP .

➢ To find the Intercept :

- Is the difference between CZX (Calculated Zenith distance) & TZX (True Zenith distance)
o If the CZX is more than TZX : Intercept is Toward
o If the TZX is more than CZX : Intercept is Away

➢ To find the TZX :

- Obtain from the sextant Altitude with similar procedure as before

➢ To find the CZX :

- By use of the formula & DR position
𝒉𝒂𝒗 𝑪𝒁𝑿 = 𝒉𝒂𝒗. (𝒍𝒂𝒕~𝒅𝒆𝒄) + 𝒉𝒂𝒗. 𝑳𝑯𝑨 × 𝒄𝒐𝒔. 𝒍𝒂𝒕 × 𝒄𝒐𝒔. 𝒅𝒆𝒄

LHA : Determine by GHA & Longitude

Lat : use DR Lat
Dec : extract from almanac

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 ➢ To find the position of ITP :
- Use traverse table to determine the d.lat & d.long of ITP.

DR Dep.
ITP Dep.
Intercept d.lat
Intercept d.lat (Toward)
(Away)
ITP
DR True bearing
True bearing

INTERCEPT = AWAY INTERCEPT = TOWARD

COURSE = OPPSITE TO T. Brg. COURSE = TRUE BEARING
DISTANCE = INTERCEPST DISTANCE = INTERCEPST

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 Section 3-4 LONG BY CHORON

➢ Question :
- Position line
- position which through passes.

➢ Answer :
- Position line is perpendicular to True bearing (obtain from ABC table)
- position is intersection of DR latitude and true long
- longitude obtain from GHA & LHA
- LHA calculated from obtained TZX by formula

➢ Drawing :
- Draw the position line at the intersect of DR lat & Tue longitude on the chart.

➢ To find the TZX :

- Obtain from the sextant Altitude with similar procedure as before

➢ To calculate P (the angle between body and observer) :

- Use the formula :
𝒉𝒂𝒗 𝑷 = [𝒉𝒂𝒗. 𝑻𝒁𝑿 − 𝒉𝒂𝒗. (𝒍𝒂𝒕~ 𝒅𝒆𝒄)]𝒔𝒆𝒄. 𝒍𝒂𝒕 × 𝒔𝒆𝒄. 𝒅𝒆𝒄

TZX : obtain from sextant altitude

Lat : use DR Lat
Dec : extract from almanac

➢ To determine the LHA from P :

- Extract from the problem that this sight take before Noon (mer pass) or after noon.
o If before mer. pass : LHA = 360° - P
o If after mer. pass : LHA = P

observer
body body
P
LHA = P
LHA observer

G G

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