South Tyneside College

School of Nautical Studies

Unit: FOLS 35 Celestial Navigation Paper 2
Outcome(s):

2: Calculations from observations of celestial bodies, the error of the compass

3: Calculations from observations of celestial bodies, the direction of a position line and a
point through which it passes

4: Determine the vessel’s position from simultaneous celestial observations

1. (a) From the following information find the compass error and deviation for the direction of
the ship’s head at Sunset?

Date at ship 3rd September 2000 DR 27°10’S 086°42’W

The Sun set bearing 282°C Variation 04°W (12)

Date: 03rd . September. DR position 270 10’ S 0860 42’ W

LMT Sunset 3d 17h 50m Dec’l 070 09.9’ N

Long (W) 05h 46m 48 s(+) “d” (0.9) 0.5 (-)
UTC 03d 23h 36m 48 s Dec’l 070 09.4’ N

Sin Amp = Sin Dec’l

Cos Lat

= Sin 070 09.4’

Cos 270 10.0’
Sin Amp = 0.14003
True bearing 278 0 T
Amplitude = W 08 N 0
Comp bearing282.00 C
Amplitude = 278 0 T Comp error 04.00 W (3)
(6) Variation 04.00 W
Deviation 000.0 (3)

(b) The subsequent actions on discovering the discrepancy are:

1. Inform the Master

2. Compare gyro with magnetic compass
3. Check the chart for magnetic anomalies
4. Re-work another calculation
5. Verify that the magnetic compass has not been interfered with – i.e. correct magnets correctly
positioned, spheres correctly positioned etc
6. Ensure that no new sources of magnetic interference have been introduced (6)
 South Tyneside College
School of Nautical Studies
2. (a) From the following information, find the UTC of meridian passage and the Latitude of the
observer?

Date at ship 03rd January 2000 DR 34°15’N 084°37’W

Sextant Altitude of Sun’s lower limb was 32° 43.3’.
I.E. 2.0’off the arc H.E. 11.0m.
. (13)

DR : Lat 34-15’ N Long 084-37’W

Date at Ship 3rd January 2000

LMT Meridian Passage 3rd January: 12 h 04 m 00 s

LIT W(+) : 05 h 38 m 28 s

GMT : 17 h 42 m 28 s (4)

Dec : 22- 50.3 S

d(0.2)(-): 0.1
Dec : 22- 50.2 S (3)

Sext Alt: 32-43.3’

Index Err: 2.0’ (+)

Obs. Alt : 32-45.3’

Dip : (-) 5.8’

App. Alt: 32-39.5’

T. Corr : (+) 14.8’

T. Alt: 32-54.3’

~ 90
ZX: 57-05.7’ N

Dec: 22-50.2’ S

Lat: 34-15.5’ N (6)

(b) State the maximum declination of the Sun and on name the events they
Occurred in the year 2000? (3)

1) 23.5 degree (1)

2) Summer Solstice, June 21st. 2000 (1)
3) Winter Solstice, 21st December , 2000 (1)
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School of Nautical Studies

3. (a) From the following observation of Polaris during twilight, find the gyro error, the
direction of the position line and the Latitude in which it crosses the DR Longitude?

Date at ship: 20th March 2000 DR 28°25’N 027°25’W

The sextant altitude of Polaris was 27°45’ bearing 3590 G
I.E. 1’.0 off the arc; H.E. 16.0 m;
Time GMT 20D 06H 34M 10S (12)

DR : Lat 28-25’ N Long 027-25’W

Date at Ship 20th March 2000

GHA  268-04.6’
Incr 8-33-9’
GHA  276-38.5’
Long W 27-25’
LHA  249-13.5’

Sext Alt 27° 45.0’

IE (on) (+) 1.0’
Obs Alt 27° 46.0’
Dip -7.0’
App Alt 27° 39’
T Corn (-) 1.8’
True Alt 27° 37.2’
(-) 1° 00.0’
26° 37.2’

(+) a0 1° 36.6’
(+) a1 0.6’
(+) a2 0.4’
Lat: 28-14.8’ N (6)

Azimuth: 000.4° (T) (3)

P/L: 090.4°~ 270.4° (3)

b) Gyro : 359° (3)

True: 000.4°
Error: 1.4° L

c) 55 degrees (1)
 South Tyneside College
School of Nautical Studies

4. (a) At 0430 on the morning of the 10th of January 2000 in DR position 29° 48'S 161°15'E the
sextant altitude of Venus was observed to be 230 18’.
At the time of observation the chronometer showed 5h 45m 10s and was 01m 11s fast on
UTC
If the height of eye was 25metres and index error was nil, find:
(i) the direction of the position line?
(ii) the intercept? (24)

Date 10.01.2000 DR Lat 29° 48’S DR Long 161° 15’.0E

Observed Body: Venus

Local Time 10d 04h 30m 00s GHA Venus 17h 113° 17’.8 Dec S 20° 23’.0
Long E -10h 45m 00s Inc 43’59’’ 10° 59’.8 Corn(0.5) +0.4
Approx GMT 10d 17h 45m 00s 5.’0- 7.’0-‫ץ‬ Dec S20° 23’.4
Chron 09d 17h 45m 10s GHA Venus 124° 17’.1
Error fast -1m 11s Long E 161° 15’.0
Correct GMT 09d 17h 43m 59s LHA Venus 285° 32’.1

Sun CT Alt
Cos CZX = (cos LHA x cos Lat x cos Dec) +/- (sin Lat x sin Dec)
Cos CZX = (cos 285° 32’.1 x cos 29° 48’ x cos 20° 23’.4) + (sin 29° 48’ x sin 20° 23’.4)
Cos CZX = 0.39100

CZX = 66° 59’.0

CT Alt – 23° 01’.0 Sext Alt 23° 18’.0

IE on 0’.0
Obs Alt 23° 18’.0
Dip -8’.8
App Alt 23° 09’.2
A = tan 29° 48’ T corn -2’.2 (-2’.3 +0.1)
tan 285° 32’.1 True Alt 23° 07’.0
= 0.159N 90° 00’.0
TZX 66° 53’.0
B= tan 20° 23’.4 CZX 69° 59’.0
sin 42° 12’.2 Intcept 6.0T (12)
= 0.386 S

C = 0.227 S Tan Az = _______1______

0.227 x cos 29° 48’

Tan Az = 5.076
Az = S 78.9° E→101.1° (12)
P/L runs 011.1°/191.1°

(b) State different methods that you may use to obtain a position line (s) to fix ship’s position
using sextant through celestial observations (4)
1. P/L by Marc St Hailer method or intercept method
2. P/L by latitude by meridian altitude method during meridian passage
3. P/L by Latitude by Pole star
4. P/L and fix by simultaneous star sights
 South Tyneside College
School of Nautical Studies

5) (i) For the following scenario use the chart 5048 which is provided.

The following information was obtained from simultaneous observations of three stars using
DR 51° 39.0' N, 006° 30.0' W

Star A; Azimuth 350° Intercept 2.0' away.

Star B; Azimuth 085° Intercept 0.5' towards.
Star C; Azimuth 030° Intercept 1.2' away.

Find the position of the vessel. (10)

Star A bearing 3500T Star B bearing 0850T

+/- 090 0
+/- 0900
P/L runs 080 T / 260 T
0 0
P/L runs 175 T / 3550T
0

Star C bearing 0300T

+/- 090 0

P/L runs 1200T / 3000T

From the chart:-

Position of the vessel:-
Lat 510 37.0’ N
Long 0060 28.7’ W
 South Tyneside College
School of Nautical Studies

DR
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School of Nautical Studies

(i) Using the extracts of the Sight Reduction Table find the approximate value of altitude
and azimuth for 3 best stars to be chosen for observation , whilst LHA  on was found
as 105 ° and DR Latitude as 550 00’ N (8)

Dubhe / Sirius/ Mirfak

58-31/18-12/ 57-41
053/184/284 (6)

Sketch (2)

(ii) Explain why some stars are marked with ‘asterisk’ and some are printed in Capital
letter?
(6)

1. Best stars to be observed

2. Best angular difference
3. First magnitude stars