LATITUDE BY MERIDIAN ALTITUDE

1. Find Declination
a. For SUN
Find GMT of meridian passage of Sun.
From daily page of nautical almanac.
Find LMT mer pass
LIT (E/W) (-/+)
GMT Mer pass
Find Declination of the body.
b. For Stars
Find Declination from daily page of nautical almanac for the star.
c. For Planets
Find Approx LMT meridian passage of Planet from daily page of nautical almanac.
Approx LMT mer pass
LIT (E/W) (-/+)
Approx GMT Mer pass
Using approx GMT Mer pass find Declination of the body.

DECLINATION
Sun Planets Stars
DEC DEC DEC
‘d’ corn ‘d’ corn
DEC DEC
- Check in almanac,
- if next hour declination is increasing ‘d’ corrn is +ve
- if next hour declination is decreasing ‘d’ corrn is -ve
2. Find T.Alt / TZD from the Sextant altitude
Sun Planets Stars
Sext alt Sext alt Sext alt
I.E (off/on) (+/-) I.E (off/on) (+/-) I.E (off/on) (+/-)
Obs alt Obs alt Obs alt
Dip(HE) (always –ve) Dip(HE) (always –ve) Dip(HE) (always –ve)
App alt App alt App alt
Total Corrn (LL/UL) (+/-) Total Corrn (always –ve) Total Corrn (always –ve)
Addnl Corrn (Only for Venus &
Mars) (Always +ve)
T.alt T.alt T.alt
MZD MZD MZD
Dec . Dec . Dec .
Obs Lat Obs Lat Obs Lat
- True Alt (Named same as Azimuth)

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 - MZD (Meridian Zenith Distance = 90° – T.Alt) (Named opposite to T.alt)
- Declination
- Observed Latitude (MZD~Dec),
If MZD & dec is same name, Add and naming of Obs Lat will be same.
If MZD & dec is different name, Subtract and naming of Obs Lat will be of higher
value.

LONG BY CHRON - METHOD

1. Find GMT
a) If Chronometer time is given

d h m s OR d h m s
Chron
Error (slow /fast) (+/-)
GMT
LIT (E/W) (+/-)
LMT

- After finding the LMT, first enter the LMT date which is given in the Question.
- Then accordingly enter the GMT date, which may be : 1 day before, 1 day after or the same date

b) If only GMT Time is given, verify GMT DATE.

d h m s
GMT
LIT (E/W) (+/-)
LMT

- After finding the LMT TIME, first enter the LMT DATE which is given in the Question.
- Then accordingly enter the GMT date, which may be - 1 day before, 1 day after or the same date

c) If GMT Time with DATE is given in the question, use the GMT Time with DATE as
given.

2. Find T.Alt / TZD from the Sextant altitude – Same for all above methods
Sun Planets Stars
Sext alt Sext alt Sext alt
I.E (off/on) (+/-) I.E (off/on) (+/-) I.E (off/on) (+/-)
Obs alt Obs alt Obs alt
Dip(HE) (always –ve) Dip(HE) (always –ve) Dip(HE) (always –ve)
App alt App alt App alt
Total Corrn (LL/UL) (+/-) Total Corrn (always –ve) Total Corrn (always –ve)
Addnl Corrn (For Venus & Mars)
(always +ve)
T.alt T.alt T.alt
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3. GHA/LHA
Sun Planets Stars
GHA GHA Planet GHAɣ
Incr (always +ve) Incr (always +ve) Incr (always +ve)
GHA ‘v’ corrn (always +) (only Venus +/-) GHAɣ
DR Long (E/W) (+/-) GHA SHA * (always +ve)
Approx LHA DR Long (E/W) (+/-) GHA *
Approx LHA Planet DR Long (E/W) (+/-)
Approx LHA *

4. DECLINATION
Sun Planets Stars
DEC DEC DEC
‘d’ corn (+/-) ‘d’ corn (+/-)
DEC DEC
- Check in almanac,
- if next hour declination is increasing ‘d’ corrn is +ve
- if next hour declination is decreasing ‘d’ corrn is -ve

5. CALCULATION OF ‘P’ / LHA

Cos P = [ (Sin T.alt) - / + (Sin DR lat x Sin dec) ]

Cos DR lat x Cos dec
- Lat & dec : same names (-) / different names (+)

P = LHA
- After meridian Passage - By comparing LMT mer pass given in the almanac, with the LMT
time calculated from the Chron time (for Sun & Planets) which should be after mer. Pass.
- West of the meridian – if stated so in the question
- Calculate Approx LHA and check whether P= Approx LHA

LHA = 360 - P
- Before meridian Passage - By comparing LMT mer pass given in the almanac with the LMT
time calculated from the Chron time (for Sun & Planets) which should be before mer. Pass.
- East of the meridian – if mentioned in the question
- Calculate Approx LHA and check whether Approx LHA= 360-P

Find Obs Long

- If GHA BEST / Long W
- If GHA LEAST / Long E
- e.g
GHA 135⁰ GHA 342⁰ GHA 085⁰ GHA 210⁰
LHA 075⁰ LHA 242⁰ LHA 167⁰ . LHA 330⁰
Obs Long 060⁰W Obs Long 100⁰W Obs Long 082⁰E Obs Long 120⁰E

GHA 161⁰ GHA 330⁰ GHA 320⁰ GHA 089⁰

LHA 330⁰ LHA 145⁰ LHA 065⁰ LHA 320⁰
Obs Long 169⁰E Obs Long 155⁰W i.e 255⁰W i.e 231⁰ E
Obs Long 105⁰E Obs Long 129⁰W
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If the difference is more than 180⁰, minus from 360⁰, and change the name
As a longitude is never more than 180⁰

6. Find Azimuth & PL

1. A = Tan (DR Lat)
Tan ‘P’
(Calculated P value to be used in this formula)
‘A’ is named same as latitude, if LHA is between 090° & 270°.
‘A’ is named opposite as latitude, if LHA is between 270° & 090°.
2. B = Tan ‘dec’
Sin ‘P’
‘B’ is always named same as ‘declination’.
3. ‘C’ is the difference between ‘A’ & ‘B’ and named as below.
If ‘A’ & ‘B’ are same name, add and use the same name.
If ‘A’ & ‘B’ are different names, substract and use the name of the higher value.
4. Tan ‘Az’ = 1 .
(‘C’ x Cos DR lat)
‘Az’ = ‘Prefix’ (Angle) ‘Suffix’ (Quadrant form. e.g. N40°E)
= Convert to 3 degree notation e.g 040°(T)
Prefix – Same as ‘C’
Suffix – ‘E’ if LHA is between 180° & 360° or body is East of the observer,
‘W’ if LHA is between 0° & 180° or body is West of the observer.
5. PL = Az +/- 90 e.g. Az = 040(T), PL = 310(T) ----- 130(T)

INTERCEPT - METHOD

1. Find GMT
a) If Chronometer Time is given

d h m s OR d h m s
Chron
Error (slow /fast) (+/-)
GMT
LIT (E/W) (+/-)
LMT
After finding the LMT, first enter the LMT date which is given in the Question.
- Then accordingly enter the GMT date, which may be : 1 day before, 1 day after or the same date

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 d) If only GMT Time is given, verify GMT DATE.

d h m s
GMT
LIT (E/W) (+/-)
LMT

- After finding the LMT, first enter the LMT date which is given in the Question.
- Then accordingly enter the GMT date, which may be - 1 day before, 1 day after or the same date

e) If GMT Time with DATE is given in the question, use the GMT Time with DATE as
given.

2. Find T.Alt / TZD

Sun Planets Stars
Sext alt Sext alt Sext alt
I.E (off/on) (+/-) I.E (off/on) (+/-) I.E (off/on) (+/-)
Obs alt Obs alt Obs alt
Dip(HE) (always –ve) Dip(HE) (always –ve) Dip(HE) (always –ve)
App alt App alt App alt
Total Corrn (LL/UL) (+/-) Total Corrn (always –ve) Total Corrn (always –ve)
Addnl Corrn (Only for Venus &
Mars) (always +ve)
T.alt T.alt T.alt
TZD (90-T.alt) TZD (90-T.alt) TZD (90-T.alt)

3. DECLINATION
Sun Planets Stars
DEC DEC DEC
‘d’ corrn ‘d’ corrn
DEC DEC
- Check in almanac, if next hour declination is increasing ‘d’ corrn is +ve

- if next hour declination is decreasing ‘d’ corrn is -ve

4. GHA / LHA / P
Sun Planets Stars
GHA GHA Planet GHAɣ
Incr Incr Incr
GHA ‘v’ corrn (always +) (only Venus +/-) GHAɣ
Long (E/W) (+/-) GHA SHA star
LHA Long (E/W) (+/-) GHA star
LHA Planet Long (E/W) (+/-)
LHA star
P = LHA (If LHA is between 0 – 180 )
P = 360 – LHA (If LHA is between 180 – 360 )

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5. INTERCEPT

Cos CZD = (Cos P x Cos DR lat x Cos dec) +/- (Sin DR lat x Sin dec)

CZD =
TZD =
(CZD~TZD) INTERCEPT = Away (TZD > CZD)
Towards (TZD < CZD)

5. Find Azimuth & PL – Same for all above methods

6. A = Tan (DR Lat)
Tan ‘P’
‘A’ is named same as latitude, if LHA is between 090° & 270°.
‘A’ is named opposite as latitude, if LHA is between 270° & 090°.
7. B = Tan ‘dec’
Sin ‘P’
‘B’ is always named same as ‘declination’.
8. ‘C’ is the difference between ‘A’ & ‘B’ and named as below.
If ‘A’ & ‘B’ are same name, add and use the same name.
If ‘A’ & ‘B’ are different names, substract and use the name of the higher value.
9. Tan ‘Az’ = 1 .
(‘C’ x Cos DR lat)
‘Az’ = ‘Prefix’ (Angle) ‘Suffix’ (Quadrant form. e.g. N40°E)
= Convert to 3 degree notation e.g 040°(T)
Prefix – Same as ‘C’
Suffix – ‘E’ if LHA is between 180° & 360° or body is East of the observer,
‘W’ if LHA is between 0° & 180° or body is West of the observer.
10.PL = Az +/- 90 e.g. Az = 040(T), PL = 310(T) ----- 130(T)

EX-MERIDIAN - METHOD

1. Find GMT
a) If Chronometer time is given

d h m s OR d h m s
Chron
Error (slow /fast) (+/-)
GMT
LIT (E/W) (+/-)
LMT
After finding the LMT, first enter the LMT date which is given in the Question.
- Then accordingly enter the GMT date, which may be : 1 day before, 1 day after or the same date
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 b) If only GMT Time is given, verify GMT DATE.

d h m s
GMT
LIT (E/W) (+/-)
LMT

- After finding the LMT, first enter the LMT date which is given in the Question.
- Then accordingly enter the GMT date, which may be - 1 day before, 1 day after or the same date

c) If GMT Time with DATE is given in the question, use the GMT Time with DATE as
given.

2. Find T.Alt / TZD

Sun Planets Stars
Sext alt Sext alt Sext alt
I.E (off/on) (+/-) I.E (off/on) (+/-) I.E (off/on) (+/-)
Obs alt Obs alt Obs alt
Dip(HE) (always –ve) Dip(HE) (always –ve) Dip(HE) (always –ve)
App alt App alt App alt
Total Corrn (LL/UL) (+/-) Total Corrn (always –ve) Total Corrn (always –ve)
Addnl Corrn (Only for Venus &
Mars) (always +ve)
T.alt T.alt T.alt
TZD (90-T.alt) TZD (90-T.alt) TZD (90-T.alt)

3. DECLINATION
Sun Planets Stars
DEC DEC DEC
‘d’ corrn ‘d’ corrn
DEC DEC
- Check in almanac, if next hour declination is increasing ‘d’ corrn is +ve

- if next hour declination is decreasing ‘d’ corrn is -ve

4. GHA / LHA / P
Sun Planets Stars
GHA GHA Planet GHAɣ
Incr Incr incr
GHA ‘v’ corrn (always +) (only Venus +/-) GHAɣ
Long (E/W) (+/-) GHA SHA star
LHA Long (E/W) (+/-) GHA star
LHA Planet Long (E/W) (+/-)
LHA star
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P = LHA (If LHA is between 0 – 180 )
P = 360 – LHA (If LHA is between 180 – 360 )

5. EX-MERIDIAN

Cos MZD = Cos TZD + [(1-Cos P) x Cos DR lat x Cos dec]

MZD =

MZD = (Named opposite to T.Alt)

Dec = (Named same as dec)
Obs Lat =

(If MZD & Dec same name – Add, Naming same as MZD/Dec)
(If MZD & Dec opp. name – Substract, Naming same as higher of MZD or Dec)

True Alt (Named same as Azimuth)

5. Find Azimuth & PL – Same for all above methods

A = Tan (DR Lat)

Tan ‘P’
‘A’ is named same as latitude, if LHA is between 090° & 270°.
‘A’ is named opposite as latitude, if LHA is between 270° & 090°.

B = Tan ‘dec’
Sin ‘P’
‘B’ is always named same as ‘declination’.

‘C’ is the difference between ‘A’ & ‘B’ and named as below.
If ‘A’ & ‘B’ are same name, add and use the same name.
If ‘A’ & ‘B’ are different names, substract and use the name of the higher value.

Tan ‘Az’ = 1 .
(‘C’ x Cos DR lat)
‘Az’ = ‘Prefix’ (Angle) ‘Suffix’ (Quadrant form. e.g. N40°E)
= Convert to 3 degree notation e.g 040°(T)
Prefix – Same as ‘C’
Suffix – ‘E’ if LHA is between 180° & 360° or body is East of the observer,
‘W’ if LHA is between 0° & 180° or body is West of the observer.

PL = Az +/- 90 e.g. Az = 040(T), PL = 310(T) ----- 130(T)

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 Calculation of True Altitude of Polaris, Observer’s Latitude, Az and PL

1. Find GMT
a) If Chronometer time is given

d h m s OR d h m s
Chron
Error (slow /fast) (+/-)
GMT
LIT (E/W) (+/-)
LMT
After finding the LMT, first enter the LMT date which is given in the Question.
- Then accordingly enter the GMT date, which may be : 1 day before, 1 day after or the same date

b) If only GMT Time is given, verify GMT DATE.

d h m s
GMT
LIT (E/W) (+/-)
LMT
- After finding the LMT, first enter the LMT date which is given in the Question.
- Then accordingly enter the GMT date, which may be - 1 day before, 1 day after or the same date

c) If GMT Time with DATE is given in the question, use the GMT Time with DATE as
given in the question.

2.Using GMT, find LHA aries.

GHA ɣ
Incr .
GHA ɣ
Long (E/W) (+/-)
LHA ɣ
3.Find a₀, a₁ & a₂ from nautical almanac

SEXT ALT
I.E(Off/On) (+/-)
Obs Alt
Dip(HE) (always –ve)
App Alt
Total Corrn (For Stars)
True Alt
a₀ +
a₁ +
a₂ + .
Sum
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 - 1°
Obs Lat
AZ (Found from the Polaris table under LHAɣ column and for Latitude)
PL = Az +/- 90°

POLARIS
1. Altitude of Pole = Latitude of Observer
2. Declination of Polaris is about 89° 10’N, i.e. less than 1° from the North Celestial
Pole.
3. By applying a small correction to the altitude of Polaris we can determine the
Latitude of the observer.
4. A correction ‘a₀’ for a standard latitude 50N is computed, using mean values of
SHA and declination of Polaris as 327° 39.0’ and 89° 09.5’N respectively.
- The corrections ‘a₀’ are given for all LHAs of Polaris from 0° to 359°, at 1° intervals.
- These corrections are sometimes +ve or –ve, depending on the LHA of Polaris
- To enable easy computation of latitude, a constant 58.8’ is added to the polar
distance of Polaris.
- It is tabulated as the function of LHA aries.
5. The second correction, ‘a₁’ in the Pole star table, is a correction for variation in
‘a₀’ due to the variation in the observer’s latitude from 50N.
- These corrections are sometimes +ve or –ve, depending on whether the
observer’s lat was > or < 50°N.
- For easy computation of latitude, a constant 0.6’ is added to the actual correction
to make it always +ve.
- It is tabulated as the function of LHA aries and the observer’s latitude.
6. The third correction ‘a₂’ is for variation in the values of SHA and declination of
Polaris from the mean values used in working the ‘a₀’ corrections.
- For easy computation, a constant 0.6’ is added to make them always +ve.
- It is tabulated as the function of LHA aries and the month.
7. Since a total amount of 58.8’ + 0.6’ +0.6’ = 60’ = 1°,
The latitude is obtained as,
True Altitude of Polaris + a₀+ a₁ + a₂ - 1°
8. An Azimuth Table is also provided in the Almanac for Polaris, as a function of LHA
aries and Latitude.

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