Visayas State University

College of Engineering
DEPARTMENT OF GEODETIC ENGINEERING
Baybay, Leyte

Vision: The premier university of science and technology in the Visayas.

Mission: Provide excellent instruction, conduct relevant research and foster community engagement that
produce highly competent graduates necessary for the development of the country.

GEng 142 - GEODETIC ASTRONOMY

Exercise 4

Determination of Azimuth by observation of Sun at equal altitudes

Name: Mark Anthony M. Jualo Date Performed: , 2018

Course and Year: BSGE-4 Date Submitted: May 21, 2018

Introduction:

The determination of the azimuth of a line using astronomical observations has

been practiced since the old times (Ghilani, 1995). The people then used this method
to know the accurate azimuth of any lines they want to observed.
In fact, two relatively simple procedures can be used to get the approximate
azimuth of a line which do not require the knowledge of any mathematics. These
methods are known as the shadow method and the equal altitude method. The equal
attitude method is employed in this exercise in order to compute the azimuth of the
determined line. In this exercise the altitude of the sun is measured in the mid-morning.
The observers waited until mid-afternoon until the sun reached the same altitude.

Materials:
Calculator, Pencil/ballpen, Bondpaper, transit/theodolite, tripod, eraser

Learning Outcome:
At the end of this exercise, students must be able to determine the azimuth of a line
by observing the sun.

Procedure/Activities:
1. In performing this activity, the first half of observation must be observed before
apparent noon of the place of observation and the other half will be observed after.
Record the geographic coordinates of the place of observation.
2. Set-up the instrument at the station of observation and level it accurately
3. Sight the referring object and make the horizontal circle reading to zero.
4. Swing the telescope clockwise to bisect the star/sun by using clean white sheet
paper. Never look through the telescope when observing the sun, unless if you don’t
care about your eyes. Use the tangent screws for fine adjustments until the star/sun
is on the sight of the telescope.
5. Once the star/sun is bisected (at least the crosshair must hit approximately the
center of the heavenly body), record the time, read and record the horizontal circle
reading as well as vertical circle reading (altitude).
6. Remaining the vertical circle reading locked, swing the telescope and follow the
star/sun until it’s again seen through the telescope. The same manner of observation
of the body must be followed.
7. When the star/sun attains the same altitude, read and record the horizontal circle
reading.
8. If you don’t understand the procedure, read steps 1-7.
9. If you have some clarifications, ask the instructor.

Results:
Data gathered

Table 1: Data gathered during actual observation.

observed deg min sec value rad
declination 15 22 59 15.38306 0.268485
latitude 10 44 40.7 10.74464 0.187529
RA 2H 37min 34sec

Observation deg min sec value

Horizontal
morning angle 157 49 0 157.8167 2.75442
Vertical angle 49 40 0 49.66667 0.866847
Horizontal
afternoon angle 0 2 30 0.041667 0.000727
Vertical angle 49 40 0 49.66667 0.866847

Table 2: Azimuth of the sun from north and from south.

Morning observation degrees
Azimuth of the sun 78.83266125
+180 258.83266125

Afternoon observation degrees

Azimuth of the sun 180- 78.83266125
101.1673388
Computation:
MORNING OBSERVATION:
sin(𝑑𝑒𝑐)−sin(𝑙𝑎𝑡)∗sin⁡(ℎ)
Cosz =
cos(𝑙𝑎𝑡)∗cos⁡(ℎ)

sin(15.3806)−sin(10.74464𝑡)∗sin⁡(49.6667)
=
cos(10.74464)∗cos⁡(49.6667)

z = 78.83266125 Azimuth of the sun from north

AzimuthS = z -HA+180

= 78.83266125 - 157.8166667 + 180

= 101.0159946d

Azimuth from South = 101d0’57.58”

AFTERNOON OBSERVATION:
sin(𝑑𝑒𝑐)−sin(𝑙𝑎𝑡)∗sin⁡(ℎ)
Cosz =
cos(𝑙𝑎𝑡)∗cos⁡(ℎ)

sin(15.3806)−sin(10.74464𝑡)∗sin⁡(49.6667)
=
cos(10.74464)∗cos⁡(49.6667)

z = 78.83266125 Azimuth of the sun from north

AzimuthS = z -HA+180

= 78.83266125 – 0.041666667 + 180

= 101.2090054

Azimuth from South = 101d12’32.42”

Discussion:

The instrument was set up at the arbitrarily established point at the front of
VSU amphitheater. Then the horizontal reading from the marker, determined by the
instructor, was measured up to the sun (the horizontal reading at marker was set to
zero) and found to be 157d49’. The vertical reading from the horizon to the sun was
the observed to be 49d40’. The telescope of the theodolite was rotated clockwise to
the pre-determined path of the sun until the sun bisected the crosshair, at this
instance the horizontal reading was recorded to be 0d2’30”. The observed data were
plug in to the formula and got the azimuth of the line during the morning observation
to be 101d0’57.58” and during the afternoon observation, 101d12’32.42”, the
average of the two computed azimuth is 101d6’45”.
Conclusion:

Therefore, there are many techniques in determining the azimuth of the line,
one is through observation to the sun. This activity requires simple instruments like
transit. The activity also is very simple to perform because there is one altitude to be
observed throughout the whole duration of the activity. But it requires time and
patience because the first half of the observation is done during the morning while
the other half is during the afternoon. It also requires sympathy of the environment
because this exercise greatly dependent to the sun.

References:
Ghilani, C. D. (1995). Astronomical Observations for Azimuth. Pennsylvania, USA