Celestial Navigation
Useful Formulas
About Calculators
• The Casio fx-300ES Plus is an inexpensive calculator.
• It features natural input so you enter a formula just as
it would be written on paper. Entering degrees,
minutes and seconds is very simple.
• The Casio fx-300ES Plus has 9 memory locations and
you can review many of the previous entries you make
using a special key on the calculator.
Determine Hc (computed altitude) using a
calculator
The formula
Hc = asin[sin(Declination)*sin(Latitude) +
cos(Latitude)*cos(Declination)*cos(LHA)]
As it would be entered into the Casio calculator Note- Sin-1 is
the arc-sin key
Sin-1(Sin(Ap Latitude) x Sin(Declination) +
Cos(Ap Latitude) x Cos(Declination) x Cos(LHA)
Determine Hc using a calculator
The formula
Hc = asin[sin(Declination)*sin(Latitude) + cos(Latitude)*cos(Declination)*cos(LHA)]
As it would be entered into the Casio calculator Note- Sin-1 is the arc-sin key
Sin-1(Sin(Ap Latitude) x Sin(Declination) + Cos(Ap Latitude) x Cos(Declination) x Cos(LHA)
Declination is the declination of the Celestial body you're observing.
When the heavenly body's declination is Contrary name to your Ap
Latitude enter a negative sign before it.
Latitude is the Latitude where you are, think you are or where you
would like to determine Hc for. Typically, you'll be using an Assumed
position Latitude or Ap Latitude as it's called.
Determine Hc using a calculator
In Western Longitudes LHA is the Local Hour Angle which is
derived from subtracting your whole number value of Longitude
(Assumed or otherwise) from the whole number value of GHA
(Greenwich Hour Angle).
In Eastern Longitudes LHA, in Eastern Longitudes, is determined
by rounding up the GHA figure to the next highest whole degree
figure then adding the DR. Longitude to GHA to obtain LHA. Only
add the whole degree DR. Longitude figure to the rounded up
whole degree GHA figure. If the resulting LHA figure is greater
than 360° then subtract 360° from the figure to obtain the LHA.
Why would you want to determine Hc using a
calculator?
It's faster than looking up in Pub. No. 249 and Pub.
No. 229, highly accurate and you don't need a lot
of printed out pages of Lati tudes from Pub. No.
249 and Pub. No. 229. Pub. No. 249 Vol. 2 & 3
don't cover any declinati on greater than 29
degrees so you'd have to use Pub. No. 229 which is
extremely large.
Z is the Angle between the sun and the nearest pole,
whereas Zn or azimuth bearing is the bearing of the
sun from the boat.
Z is the Angle between the sun and the nearest pole,
whereas Zn or azimuth bearing is the bearing of the
sun from the ship.
Determine Z (azimuth angle)
Z = acos[(sin(Declination) – sin(Ap Latitude) x sin(Hc)) ÷
(cos(Ap Latitude) x cos(Hc))]
As it would be entered into the Casio calculator... Note- Cos-1 is the arc-
cosine key
Cos-1((Sin(Declination) – Sin(AP Latitude) x Sin(Hc)) ÷
(Cos(AP Latitude) x Cos(Hc)
If the heavenly body's declination is Contrary name to the Ap Latitude
enter a negative sign before it.
Determine Z (azimuth angle)
independent of Hc
“L” is latitude and “d” is declination. When the heavenly body's
declination is Contrary name to your Ap Latitude enter a negative sign before
it.
As it would be entered into the Casio calculator... Note- tan-1 is the arc-
tangent key
Z = tan-1 ((sin (LHA) ÷ (cos(AP latitude) x tan(declination) –
(sin(AP latitude) x cos(LHA))
Determine Z azimuth angle
independent of Hc
The sign convention used in the calculation of this azimuth formula is as
follows: from Bowditch Chapter 22 CALCULATIONS AND CONVERSIONS, page
331
1) If latitude and declination are of contrary name, declination is treated as a
negative quantity;
2) 2) If the local hour angle is greater than 180°, it is treated as a negative
quantity. If the azimuth angle as calculated is negative, add 180° to obtain
the desired value.
To obtain Zn see the rules below for
Northern and Southern latitudes.
To obtain Zn apply the following rules
In Northern Latitudes
LHA greater than 180°....Zn=Z
LHA less than 180°...........Zn=360° – Z
In Southern Latitudes
LHA greater than 180°....Zn= 180° – Z
LHA less than 180°...........Zn= 180° + Z
Determine Refraction 0.96 ÷ Tan of (Ha) Gives good
results down to about 8° from the horizon but not less.
Refraction (good overall formula from 90° to below 8° from the horizon)
As it would be entered into the Casio calculator...
1 ÷ Tan((Ha + (7.31 ÷ (Ha + 4.4))
Both refraction formulas use the standard pressure and temperature of;
1010 mb 10° C
29.83 in 53° F
Determine Dip
Determine Dip using feet
0.97 x (Square Root of He (Height of Eye) in feet)
Determine Dip using meters
1.76 x (Square Root of He (Height of eye) in meters )
Rules to Calculate Latitude using the Sun-
Noon-Sight
1- Latitude and declination Same name but latitude is greater than
declination:
Latitude= (90º – Ho) + declination
2- Latitude and declination Same name but declination greater than
latitude:
Latitude= Declination – (90º – Ho)
3- Latitude and declination Contrary name:
Latitude= (90o – Ho) – Declination
To get AP longitude (needed for plotting the
LOP)
In Western longitudes
Combine the DR Longitude figure with only the minutes (of arc) of the
total GHA figure. The Ap λ figure will be used when plotting the LOP on
the UPS.
In Eastern longitudes
In Eastern longitudes the Ap λ is determined as follows;
DR longitude + (0°60' minus GHA minutes of arc)
Example- E 075° + (0°60' – 0° 02')= 75° 58' Ap longitude
