The Astro Fix

The Direct Solution Zenith or Noon Fix Meridian Passage Latitude by Polaris The Indirect Solution The Marcq St Hilaire Method Corrections and Limitations

The Principles
If the positions of an observer and a star in a common reference system are known, then their angular relationship can be calculated. This relationship can be expressed by two angles measured in the observers horizontal and vertical planes. These angles are known as the azimuth and altitude of the body. Alternatively, from a knowledge of these two angles and the stars position, the observers position can be calculated. Since azimuth cannot be measured accurately; a method of finding position using only altitude observations has been devised.

True North Az

Alt Angular Relationship Between the Observer and Star

The Sextant

The sextant is an instrument that measures angles. Fig shows a schematic sextant. The eyepiece is aligned to the small mirror, which is fixed in the frame of the instrument. This mirror is half transparent. By the transparent part, the navigator can see the horizon directly. The small mirror also partially reflects the image from the big mirror, where you see the star. The big mirror is mobile and turns with the arm of the sextant. Doing that, we change the angle between the two mirrors. The altitude of the star is measured in the scale. There is a drum to make the fine adjustments. Whole degrees are read in the scale and the minutes in the drum. The sextant has two sets of filters (or shades) to eliminate the excess of light, especially when observing the Sun.

The fundamental method

For each celestial body, at a particular instant of time, some position on the Earth lies directly beneath the body. An observer at this point would see the body at his zenith, that is, at an altitude of 90. This point is known as the sub-point of the body. An observer at any other position than the sub-point will measure an altitude less than 90
because of the change in the plane of the horizon.

The sub-point of the star is represented by X and the Zenith by Z. The distance XZ, from the GP of the star to the point Z of the navigator is called Zenith Distance. This distance can be expressed in miles or degrees, since it's an arc on the surface of the Earth.

The Position Circle

The observer and the sub-point make an angle equal to(90-altitude) at the centre of the Earth. Since 1 of arc at the centre of the Earth approximates to a nautical mile on the Earths surface, the distance of the observer from the sub-point (Zenith Distance) is equal to the co-altitude converted to minutes. The observer is in fact positioned on a circle, centre the sub-point and radius the zenith distance. Therefore, to obtain a position line, the arc of the circle near the DR position is plotted; the intersection at a common time of two or more position lines obtained from observations on different bodies will give a fix.

Polaris: Latitude Sight

Altitude of a body overhead the elevated pole is equal to the observers latitude. From the measured altitude of Polaris, the observers latitude may be found by applying a small correction (Q).

The sub-point co-ordinates, GHA and declination are analogous to latitude and longitude; declination is plotted as latitude, GHA (0to 180) as longitude west and 360- (GHA 180 to 360) as east longitude. When the difference between an observers latitude and a bodys declination is 3 or less, the zenith distance is 180nm or less at the meridian passage with body on observers meridian. Since bodys azimuth is changing rapidly, two or more observations at short intervals, give a running fix.

Zenith or Noon Fix

Indirect Method:Selecting Stars

Marcq St Hilaire Method

This method is also called the Intercept Method. The observers latitude and longitude are assumed. The PZX triangle is solved for ZX and the angle Z. The intercept is the difference between true and calculated altitudes. Away if the calculated altitude is greater and Towards if the true altitude is greater. The intercept and azimuth are normally found by altitude- azimuth tables. This method is based on following facts and assumptions: a. Position circles corresponding to various altitudes of the same body are concentric about the bodys sub-point. The differences in the radii of the position circles are equal to the differences in their respective co-altitudes. b. Radii from the sub-point cut the position circles at 90, and the arcs of the position circles adjacent to the points of intersection are assumed to be straight lines.

Sight Reduction

Sight reduction is the process of solving the PZX triangle to obtain the altitudes and azimuths of the astronomical bodies as seen from the particular or assumed positions. The calculated data can then be compared with the measured altitudes and azimuths to obtain positional information and true heading. Accuracy Requirements: The requirements are, altitude accurate to one minute of arc for position lines and fixes. Azimuth accurate to about 0.1 is desirable for checking inertial and gyro platforms.

The Assumed Position

A Geographical Position of a star is normally thousands of miles from our position, the circle of position is very large and the small piece that interests us - the one near our position - may be considered a straight line, orthogonal to the Azimuth of the star. This line is called the Line of Position or LOP.

Sight Corrections
Using normal method of sight reduction, various corrections have to be applied to the sextant altitude (Hs) to obtain the observed altitude (Ho). These corrections are for: a. Instrument error b. Dome Refraction c. Atmospheric Refraction d. Parallax-in-Altitude ( for Moon only) e. Coriolis Correction f. Motion of the Observer

Finding the Intercept

1. Find the Greenwich date and time. 2. From the Almanac find the GHA Body (or GHA Aries for a star) and Declination. 1. For a star find SHA Star, add it to GHA Aries to get GHA Star. 2. Apply the longitude to the GHA to obtain LHA Body. 3. Find altitude and azimuth from AP3270. 4. Correct the observed altitude and obtain true altitude 5. From the calculated and true altitudes, find and plot the Intercept.

The Three Star Fix

From the measured altitude of a star at a certain time and our assumed position, draw a line of position. We know that our actual position is somewhere along this line. To determine this point we can draw another line, for another star. The point where they intercept each other is our position - or our Astronomical Position.