CELESTIAL NAVIGATION SUMMARY

Celestial Navigation - also known as astronavigation, is the ancient and continuing modern
practice of position fixing using stars and other celestial bodies that enables a navigator to
accurately determine their actual current physical position in space (or on the surface of the
earth). It uses "sights", or timed angular measurements, taken typically between a celestial body
and the visible horizon.
Celestial Body - an aggregation of matter in the universe (such as a planet, star, or nebula) that
can be considered as a single unit. Also known as heavenly bodies.
CLASSIFICATION OF THE CELESTIAL BODIES
 Stars - stars are the giant balls of the hot plasma which can produce their own light.
 Planets - these are those large spherical objects which are revolving around a star.
 Satellites - satellites are those objects which are revolving around planets.
 Comets - these are the small chunks of ice and rock which come from the outer edge of
the solar system.
 Asteroids - these are the small and irregularly shaped rocks made up of metal or minerals
having orbit around the sun.
 Meteors and Meteorites - these objects are from the space that enters our atmosphere due
to the gravitational pull of our Earth.
 Galaxies - galaxies are meant for the large groups of stars, holding together through
gravity.
There are approximately 200 billion trillion stars in the entire universe.
Methods In Using Celestial Body for Celestial Navigation
 Lunar Distance Method (Using the Moon) - lunar distance is the angular distance
between the Moon and another celestial body.
 Noon Sight Navigation (Using the Sun) - measurement of the altitude of the sun at local
apparent noon.
 Using A Planet -
 STAR (Star Sight)
- Polaris (North Star)
- -57 Navigational Stars
1. Alpheratz 20. Procyon 39. Zubenelgenubi
2. Ankaa 21. Pollux 40. Kochab
3. Schedar 22. Avior 41. Alpheca
4. Diphda 23. Suhail 42. Antares
5. Achernar 24. Miaplacidus 43. Atria
6. Hamal 25. Alphard 44. Sabic
7. Acamar 26. Regulus 45. Shaula
8. Menkar 27. Dubhe 46. Rasalhague
9. Mirfac 28. Denebola 47. Eltanin
10. Aldebaran 29. Gienah 48. Kaus
11. Rigel 30. Acrux 49. Vega
12. Capella 31. Gacrux 50. Nunki
13. Bellatrix 32. Alioth 51. Altair
14. Elnath 33. Spica 52. Peacock
15. Alnilam 34. Alkaid 53. Deneb
16. Betelgeuse 35. Hadar 54. Enif
17. Canopus 36. Menkent 55. Al Na'ir
18. Sirius 37. Arcturus 56. Fomalhaut
19. Adhara 38. Rigil Kentaurus 57. Mark
Celestial Bodies Found During:
Daytime
 The Sun Night Time
 The Moon  The Moon
 The Planet Venus  57 Navigational Stars
 Earth-orbiting satellites  Polaris (North Star)
 The planet Jupiter  4.Planets
 The planet Mars  Comets & Meteors
 Stars during eclipses  Satellites
 Daytime Comets  Constellations
 Daytime Meteors  Galaxies
 Daytime Supernovae

The Nautical Almanac - contains astronomical information to support bridge crews in routine
and emergency celestial navigation, as well as the calculation of daylight hours and mandatory
gyro checks.
The Nautical Almanac includes:
 Tabulations of the Sun, Moon, navigational planets and stars to help determine positions
at sea when using a sextant.
 Times of sunrise, sunset, twilights, moonrise and moonset, phases of the Moon and
eclipses of the Sun and Moon to help bridge crews plan observations.
 Interpolation and altitude correction tables, pole star tables and diagrams, and notes for
the identification of stars and planets.
 Information on standard times for countries around the world.
 A concise set of sight reduction tables and sight reduction forms.
Equatorial Stars of The Western Hemisphere
The equatorial region of the celestial sphere's western hemisphere includes 13
navigational stars from Gienah in the constellation Corvus to Markab in Pegasus. It also includes
stars from the constellations Virgo, Bootes, Libra, Corona Borealis, Scorpio, Ophiuchus,
Sagittarius, and Aquila. The variable star Arcturus is the brightest star in this group.
Northern Stars
The 11 northern stars are those with a declination between 30° north and 90° north. They
are listed in order of decreasing sidereal hour angle, or from the vernal equinox westward across
the sky. Starting with Schedar in the constellation Cassiopeia, the list includes stars from the
constellations Auriga, the Great and Little Bears, Draco, Lyra and Cygnus. The two brightest
northern stars are Vega and Capella.
Southern Stars
The 18 southern stars are those with a declination between 30° south and 90° south. They
are listed in order of decreasing sidereal hour angle, or from the vernal equinox westward across
the sky. Starting with Ankaa in the constellation Phoenix, the list includes stars from the
constellations Eridanus, Carina, Crux, Centaurus, Libra, Triangulum Australe, Scorpio,
Sagittarius, Pavo, and Grus. Canopus, Rigil Kentaurus, Achernar, and Hadar are the brightest
stars in the southern sky.
 SHIP POSITION SUMMARY
Methods of Getting Ship Position
1. GPS (Latitude and Longitude) – a satellite constellation supporting highly accurate
positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) measurements worldwide.
2.Cross Bearings – compass bearings of two or more points taken simultaneously to fix a
position (as of a ship)
3. Ranges of Two or More Points – by using the range of two points, the user can determine the
position of the ship.
4. Combined Range and Bearing – if one range and one bearing is available, the user can
combine the two to determine the position of the ship.
5. A Bearing and Sounding – by using the bearing and the depth of the water using echo sounder,
the user can then look at map contours to determine the ship’s position.
6.Running Fix – it is more commonly used when only one object is available for bearings and
there is no means of measuring the range. In this case there is a planned delay between bearings
so that the change in bearing will provide an acceptable angle of cut.
7.Doubling the Angle on the Box – this is a refinement of the running fix which takes advantage
of the properties of isosceles triangles.
8. The Four Point Bearing – this is a further refinement of the running fix in which the first
bearing is taken when the object is at four points (45°) on the bow.
9. The Transit Bearing – a transit can also be used to obtain a fix in conjunction with another
position line such as a range (or be used to obtain a fix in conjunction with another position line
such as a range (or even a sounding) without use of the compass. Both possibilities are illustrated
below.
10. Danger or Clearing Bearings – in places where leading lights or shapes to guide mariners
safely into harbor, avoiding shoals and other dangers are not provided, the navigator may still be
able to select a leading line provided by the transit of natural features.
11.Vertical Sextant Angle – the distance off a light can be found by taking the vertical angle the
light subtends at the vessel above sea level.
12.By Astronomical object – using celestial bodies such as stars and planets to determine the
ship’s position.