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Circle of Equal Altitude and
the Celestial Fix
 Objectives:
1. To become familiar with the procedures used
to plot the celestial fix or running fix.

2. To gain a basic understanding of how two or

more celestial LOPs are used to form a
celestial fix.
Altitude Intercept Method

Imagine a flagpole
with two wires
stretched from the
ground to the top
and bottom of the
pole, such that the
angle between the
60 deg. two wires is
constant.
Altitude Intercept Method
If the end of the two
wires were to be walked
all the way around the
pole, a circle would be
described on the
60 ground.
60 This is a
Circle of
60 60 Equal
Altitude
Now we’ll shift perspectives a bit:
In comparison to the
radius of the earth, a star
is so far away that the
light can be seen
as hitting
every point on the
earth from the same
direction in parallel
lines.
SO, if all the light is coming
from the same direction,
BUT, the surface of
the earth is at an
angle,

We get a
different kind of
circle of equal
altitude
 The light from a
given star hits any
point on the surface
at a distinct angle We know this
from the horizon. angle to be the
“altitude” of the
star.
 The circle
of points seeing
the star at the same
altitude is our
“Circle of Equal GP
Altitude” and is
centered around the
geographic
position of the
star.
Just like the flag pole.
Co-altitude is the star’s angle from
the vertical.

It also
represents
the angle
between the observer’s
position and the
geographic position
. of the star.
 So, we say
that the “Circle
of Equal Altitude” is
centered around the
geographic position GP
of the star and has a
radius equal to the
Co-altitude.
 and if we remember that 1 minute
of arc is equal to 1 nautical mile.

We have
GP 2 co-alt 2
co-alt 1 circles (i.e.
GP 1 0820
LOP’s) that
we can plot
co-alt 3
on a chart to
GP 3 get a fix.
Just one little problem:
Remember that bit about 1’
of arc being equal to 1 nm?
If a star has an altitude of 50
degrees, how far are you
from its geographic position?
Co-altitude = 90-Ho = 90 - 50 = 40 degrees
40 degrees * 60’/deg = 2400 min. of arc.
The circle has a radius of 2400 nm.
Try plotting this on your average chart.
100 nm

2400 nm.

I don’t think
it’s gonna fit.
Fortunately, we don’t need the whole
circle, just the part in our vicinity.

So let’s just
use this part.
 But how do we plot this to get a fix?
When we reduce a celestial observation with a
strip form, we use an assumed Latitude and an
assumed Longitude. A Dead Reckoning
position can also be used.

The azimuth (Zn) tells us the DR 1

direction to the star’s
Zn
Geographic position.
(this way)
Since the circle is so big compared to
our chart, we can plot our little segment
of it as a straight line. SO, the circle of
equal altitude for the altitude of the star
at the Dead Reckoning position
plots as a straight line
perpendicular to the DR 1
azimuth.
We don’t want
this line, though.
We want the line for our actual position.
(Don’t worry, we’re almost there)

Any two circles

around the same point
are concentric, right?

This means any two

small segments of
these circles are going
to be parallel.
AND, the distance between these two lines
is going to be the difference between the
radii of the two circles.

radius

radius

Difference,
aka
intercept
If the Observed Altitude, Ho (from our
position), is more than the Computed
Altitude, Hc (from the DR position), then:

• our co-altitude is smaller, so

• the radius of our circle is smaller,
(by . an distance equal to the intercept),
and
• the intercept tells us how much closer
to the geographic position of the star we
 Let’s draw it.
Assume that for a single star you
calculated Zn = 120 and and intercept to
be 5.3’ (5.3 nm) towards the azimuth.
1. Plot the DR position
based on your last fix and
your course and speed. DR
2. Plot your azimuth line with an arrow
pointing in the direction of Zn (towards
the star’s GP).
DR

3. We need to draw Mark this

point.
a line that is 5.3 nm
(the intercept)
towards the star, so 5.3 nm
measure that off.
4. The perpendicular line you draw
through this point is a single Line of
Position,
your segment of DR
the Circle of
Equal Altitude
for your
Position.
Two more of these
and you have a fix.
One last detail:
It takes several minutes to find and shoot a
star, so the different sightings of a celestial
fix are going to be a few minutes apart.
Your ship is moving during this time, so
you have to account for the motion.
BACK TO THE DEAD RECKONING
PLOT!
Assume we shot three stars, at 0615,
0620, and 0630. The ship was on a
course of 170 at 15 kts. The 6 Rules of
DR say we plot a DR at the time of each
LOP.
15

20
30
 The 0630 DR
represents the last
star shot, so we’ll
15 plot a fix for that
20 time, 0630. Since
the first star, how
far did the ship
30

move?
 Since you are
advancing each
LOP to the 0630
DR, compute the
15 intercept for each
20 sight from the
time of your last
DR (0630).
30
 15
Plot your
20
azimuths and
Ar 615

intercepts from
ctu
0
ra s

30
the 0630 DR.
The point where
the LOPs cross is
Mirfak
0630 your celestial fix.
06 2 0
C - 170
S-1
0
ga
63 0
Ve
Questions?