THEORY OF ASTRONOMICAL POSITION LINE

Nautical calculations are based on directions & angles rather than distance.

GP – geographical position of a Heavenly body is that point on the earth’s surface, which is
directly below that body at a given instant of time. In fact it is that point on the surface of
the Earth where a line joining the center of the earth to the Heavenly body cuts the crest of
the Earth’s surface.

Any spherical triangle on Earth has an equivalent spherical triangle on the

In all navigational problems we mainly solve Δ PZX, where,

PZ = Co.lat. = 90º ˗ Obs. Lat.

PX = Polar Dist. = 90º ± Decl. of the body.

ZX = Zenith Dist. = 90º ˗ True Alt. of the body.

<Z = Azimuth of the heavenly body.

If we shrink this spherical triangle so that it may fall on the surface on the earth, point P will
represent the elevated pole, Z will coincide with the observer & point X will represent GP
of the heavenly body.

Now with ZX i.e. zenith dist. As radius & GP as a center if we draw a position circle, whose
circumference will be very large on the Earth’s surface. Since we know the azimuth of the
body with can say with certainty where exactly is the position of the observer at that instant
of time. It will be the point on the circle where the reverse of azimuth cuts the circumference
at ‘Z’.
On earth’s surface it is not practical to draw such a huge circle, which is unlikely to fit
In on a navigational chart.
Since we are only interested in a small part of this circle, this small part for all practical
purposes can be considered as a straight line at right angles to the azimuth.

Thus in all navigational problems one observation of a heavenly body will give only one PL
, on which the observer can be. Two such position lines would be required to know the exact
position of the observer, which will be point of intersection of two such PL derived from two
observation.

When the Az of the body is close to E-W direction PL runs close to N-S direction,
In that case error in DR lat. Makes very small error in Observed long.

It would be ideal in a Long by Chron. Method calculation to take the observation of the body
when the Az of the body close to 090º or 270º direction.
LONG. BY CHRON.
INTERCEPT
Bodies whose Az is close to N-S direction, will produce posn. Line running close to E-W
direction. In such case even a small error in DR lat. Will produce an appreciable error in
Observed Long. Hence bodies closer to observer’s meridian are not suitable for Long. by
chron. Observation.
Points to be noted here that one observation of a heavenly body will give only one PL
Two such PL (position line) will be required to know the fix of the observer.