Sight reduction

Sight reduction is the process of deriving from a sight the information needed for establishing a line of
position.

Sight is defined as the observation of the altitude, and sometimes also the azimuth, of a celestial body for a
line of position; or the data obtained by such observation.[1]

Nowadays sight reduction uses the equation of the circle of equal altitude to calculate the altitude of the
celestial body,

and the azimuth is obtained from by:

With the observed altitude , and are the parameters of the Marcq St Hilaire (Intercept method)
intercept for the line of position:

With the latitude (North - positive, South - negative), the

longitude (East - positive, West - negative),
is the local hour angle, and are the declination and
Greenwich hour angle of the body observed, and the calculated
altitude. is the calculated azimuth of the body.

Basic procedures involved computer sight reduction or longhand

tabular methods.

Contents
Tabular sight reduction
Longhand haversine sight reduction
Doniol
Ultra compact sight reduction
An example Correction to the sextant altitude
See also
References
External links

Tabular sight reduction

The methods included are:
 The Nautical Almanac Sight Reduction (NASR, originally
known as Concise Tables for Sight Reduction or Davies,
1984, 22pg)
Pub. 249 (formerly H.O. 249, Sight Reduction Tables for
Air Navigation, A.P. 3270 in the UK, 1947–53, 1+2
volumes)[2]
Pub. 229 (formerly H.O. 229, Sight Reduction Tables for
Marine Navigation, H.D. 605/NP 401 in the UK, 1970, 6
volumes.[3]
The variant of HO-229: Sight Reduction Tables for Small
Boat Navigation, known as Schlereth, 1983, 1 volume)
H.O. 214 (Tables of Computed Altitude and Azimuth, H.D.
486 in the UK, 1936–46, 9 vol.)
H.O. 211 (Dead Reckoning Altitude and Azimuth Table,
known as Ageton, 1931, 36pg. And 2 variants of H.O. 211:
Compact Sight Reduction Table, also known as Ageton–
Bayless, 1980, 9+ pg. S-Table, also known as Pepperday,
1992, 9+ pg.) Marcq St Hilaire intercept for the line
of position
H.O. 208 (Navigation Tables for Mariners and Aviators,
known as Dreisonstok, 1928, 113pg.)

Longhand haversine sight reduction

This method is a practical procedure to reduce celestial sights with the needed accuracy, without using
electronic tools such as calculator or a computer. And it could serve as a backup in case of malfunction of
the positioning system aboard.

Doniol

The first approach of a compact and concise method was published by R. Doniol in 1955[4] and involved
haversines. The altitude is derived from , in which ,
, .

The calculation is:

n = cos(Lat − Dec)
m = cos(Lat + Dec)
a = hav(LHA)
Hc = arcsin(n − a ⋅ (m + n))

Ultra compact sight reduction

A practical and friendly method using only haversines was developed between 2014 and 2015,[5] and
published in NavList (http://fer3.com/arc/).

A compact expression for the altitude was derived[6] using haversines, , for all the terms of the
equation:

where is the zenith distance,

 is the calculated altitude.

The algorithm if absolute values are used is:

if same name for latitude and declination (both are North or

South)
n = hav(|Lat| − |Dec|)
m = hav(|Lat| + |Dec|)
if contrary name (one is North the other is South)
n = hav(|Lat| + |Dec|)
m = hav(|Lat| − |Dec|)
q = n + m
a = hav(LHA)
hav(ZD) = n + a · (1 − q)
ZD = archav() -> inverse look-up at the haversine tables
Hc = 90° − ZD

For the azimuth a diagram[7] was developed for a faster solution

without calculation, and with an accuracy of 1°.

This diagram could be used also for star identification.[8]

Haversine Sight Reduction algorithm
An ambiguity in the value of azimuth may arise since in the diagram
. is E↔W as the name of the meridian angle, but
the N↕S name is not determined. In most situations azimuth
ambiguities are resolved simply by observation.

When there are reasons for doubt or for the purpose of checking the
following formula[9] should be used:

The algorithm if absolute values are used is:

if same name for latitude and declination (both are North or

South)
a = hav(90° − |Dec|)
if contrary name (one is North the other is South)
a = hav(90° + |Dec|) Azimuth diagram by Hanno Ix
m = hav(|Lat| + Hc)
n = hav(|Lat| − Hc)
q = n + m
hav(Z) = (a − n) / (1 − q)
Z = archav() -> inverse look-up at the haversine tables
if Latitude N:
if LHA > 180°, Zn = Z
if LHA < 180°, Zn = 360° − Z
if Latitude S:
if LHA > 180°, Zn = 180° − Z
if LHA < 180°, Zn = 180° + Z

This computation of the altitude and the azimuth needs a haversine table. For a precision of 1 minute of arc,
a four figure table is enough.[10][11]

An example

Data:
Lat = 34° 10.0′ N (+)
Dec = 21° 11.0′ S (−)
LHA = 57° 17.0′
Altitude Hc:
 a = 0.2298
m = 0.0128
n = 0.2157
hav(ZD) = 0.3930
ZD = archav(0.3930) = 77° 39′
Hc = 90° - 77° 39′ = 12° 21′
Azimuth Zn:
a = 0.6807
m = 0.1560
n = 0.0358
hav(Z) = 0.7979
Z = archav(0.7979) = 126.6°
Because LHA < 180° and Latitude is North: Zn = 360° - Z = 233.4°

See also
Navigation
Celestial navigation
Circle of equal altitude
Intercept method

References
1. The American Practical Navigator (2002)
2. Pub. 249 Volume 1. Stars (https://www.thenauticalalmanac.com/Pub.%20249%20Vol.%201-20
20-Dec.pdf); Pub. 249 Volume 2. Latitudes 0° to 39° (https://www.thenauticalalmanac.com/Pu
b.%20249%20Vol.%202.pdf); Pub. 249 Volume 3. Latitudes 40° to 89° (https://www.thenautical
almanac.com/Pub.%20249%20Vol.%203.pdf)
3. Pub. 229 Volume 1. Latitudes 0° to 15° (https://msi.nga.mil/MSISiteContent/StaticFiles/NAV_P
UBS/SRTM/Pub229/Vol_1/Pub229Vol1.pdf); Pub. 229 Volume 2. Latitudes 15° to 30° (https://
msi.nga.mil/MSISiteContent/StaticFiles/NAV_PUBS/SRTM/Pub229/Vol_2/Pub229Vol2.pdf);
Pub. 229 Volume 3. Latitudes 30° to 45° (https://msi.nga.mil/MSISiteContent/StaticFiles/NAV_
PUBS/SRTM/Pub229/Vol_3/Pub229Vol3.pdf); Pub. 229 Volume 4. Latitudes 45° to 60° (https://
msi.nga.mil/MSISiteContent/StaticFiles/NAV_PUBS/SRTM/Pub229/Vol_4/Pub229Vol4.pdf);
Pub. 229 Volume 5. Latitudes 60° to 75° (https://msi.nga.mil/MSISiteContent/StaticFiles/NAV_
PUBS/SRTM/Pub229/Vol_5/Pub229Vol5.pdf); Pub. 229 Volume 6. Latitudes 75° to 90° (https://
msi.nga.mil/MSISiteContent/StaticFiles/NAV_PUBS/SRTM/Pub229/Vol_6/Pub229Vol6.pdf).
4. Table de point miniature (Hauteur et azimut), by R. Doniol, Navigation IFN Vol. III Nº 10, Avril
1955 Paper (http://fer3.com/arc/m2.aspx/Table-De-Point-Miniature-R-Doniol-FrankReed-jul-20
15-g32063)
5. Rudzinski, Greg (July 2015). Ix, Hanno. "Ultra compact sight reduction" (http://issuu.com/navig
atorpublishing/docs/on227_download_edition). Ocean Navigator. Portland, ME, USA:
Navigator Publishing LLC (227): 42–43. ISSN 0886-0149 (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0886-
0149). Retrieved 2015-11-07.
6. Altitude haversine formula by Hanno Ix http://fer3.com/arc/m2.aspx/Longhand-Sight-
Reduction-HannoIx-nov-2014-g29121
7. Azimuth diagram by Hanno Ix. http://fer3.com/arc/m2.aspx/Gregs-article-havDoniol-Ocean-
Navigator-HannoIx-jun-2015-g31689
8. Hc by Azimuth Diagram http://fer3.com/arc/m2.aspx/Hc-Azimuth-Diagram-finally-HannoIx-aug-
2013-g24772
9. Azimuth haversine formula by Lars Bergman http://fer3.com/arc/m2.aspx/Longhand-Sight-
Reduction-Bergman-nov-2014-g29441
10. http://fer3.com/arc/m2.aspx/Longhand-Sight-Reduction-HannoIx-nov-2014-g29172
11. Natural-Haversine 4-place Table (https://yadi.sk/i/4MmOYyXhUshbxA); PDF; 51kB
External links
Navigational Algorithms: resources for Longhand Haversine Sight Reduction (https://sites.goog
le.com/site/navigationalalgorithms/downloads)
NavList (http://fer3.com/arc/) A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of
Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Position-Finding
Celestial Tools for the USPS/CPS JN/N Student (http://celestialtools.webs.com/)
Graphical all-haversine Hc reduction (https://tube.geogebra.org/m/1531651)
Sight Reduction - free App for android (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.Sigh
treduction)

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