The Complete On-Board Celestial Navigator

Part One: How to Work a Sight--An Overview How To Work a Sight--An Overview 1 Introduction 2 Scope and Contents 3 Equipment 3.1 Sextant Perpendicularity Error Side Error Index Error 3.2 Clocks 4 Almanac Data 4.1 Stars and Aries 4.2 Sun and Planets 4.3 Moon 4.4 Summary 4.5 Alternative Interpolation Method 5 Planning and Observations 5.1 Planning 5.2 Sextant Observations 5.3 Identification 5.4 Observation Methods 5.5 Sunrise, Sunset, and Twilight 6 Sextant Altitude Corrections 6.1 Dip Correction 6.2 Index Correction 6.3 Star and Planet Corrections 6.4 Sun Correction 6.5 Moon Correction 6.6 Summary 7 The Marcq St. Hilaire Method 7.1 Intercept 7.2 Azimuth Azimuth Tables Weir Diagrams 7.3 The Position Fix 8 Amplitudes 9 Polaris 9.1 Azimuth 9.2 Latitude 10 Sun Observations 10.1 Running Fixes 10.2 Meridian Observations 11 Sight Reduction at Very Low Altitudes Part Two: Tables, Examples, and Forms Constants and Formulas GHA Aries and Star Ephemerides Sun and Planet Ephemerides Sun and Planet Interpolation and Altitude Corrections Moon Ephemerides Moon Declination Interpolation Moon (GHA-GMT) Interpolation Moon Altitude Corrections Sextant Altitude Analysis Example Prediction and Identification LAT of Sunrise and Sunset LAT of Civil Twilight Sight Reduction Tables Azimuth Tables Weir Diagrams Polaris (Latitude and Azimuth) Change of Altitude in 5 Minutes of Time Sight Reduction Example: Stars, Planet, and Moon Running Fix Example: Sun Alternative Interpolation Table (Calculator) Form: Sextant Altitude Analysis Form: Sight Reduction Form: Sight Reduction (Plot) The Navigational Stars Index Conversion of Time to Arc

Dr. George G. Bennett owns and directs CN Systems, which produces navigational calculator and computer software. He has navigated boats in a number of major ocean races, received numerous honors, and taught navigation for 20 years.