Position Fixing Wk.

11,12,13,14
L.O.10.1 Combine the equinoctial and horizon system of co-ordinates to determine the
center and radius of a position circle and its direction in the vicinity of a
selected position
L.O.10.2 Apply the principles of a method of enabling the navigator to draw a small part
of the position circle in his vicinity to a practical problem
L.O.10.3 Explain the assumptions made when plotting celestial position lines and the
circumstances in which they may become significant.
L.O.10.4 Determine the direction of position line through an observer and the position
through which process
L.O.10.5 Describe and evaluate the co-latitude, Polar distance and zenith distance
and uses them as a side of PZX triangle.
L.O.10.6 Solve the Pzx triangle to find the calculated zenith distance of the body
when it is out of the meridian.
L.O.10.7 Apply this calculated distance to the true zenith distance of the body to find the intercept
and the intercept terminal point
 Position Fixing
Plotting a Celestial Fix at morning and evening twilight the navigator may succeed in
observing the altitudes of a number of celestial bodies in a few minutes and thus
establish a celestial fix. If 2 or more minutes elapse between observations the navigator
must consider: elapsed time speed of ship and scale of the chart to determine whether or
not a more accurate fix can be obtained by advancing assumed position to a common
time. It is possible during the day to obtain a celestial fix rather than a celestial running
fix if two or more of the three following bodies are visible: sun moon and Venus.
Position Circles and Position Lines
if a distance off a charted point of land is obtained, either by radar or by vertical sextant
angle, then a circle can be drawn centered on the point of land and with radius the
distance off, and this circle will represent a line, any point on which the ship might be
from the observed information. it is in fact a position circle. The intersection of two such
circles will give an observed position, as will the intersection of two position lines.
We employ the same procedure when navigating with astronomical bodies. The charted
point of land is replaced in this case with the geographical position of the heavenly body,
the GHA and the declination.
 Position Circles and Position Lines
Circle of Position by Terrestrial Observation Circle of Position by Celestial Observation

When we observe the altitude of a body, we correct it and subtract it from 90° and obtain the zenith
distance. Now this zenith distance is the angular distance of the observer’s zenith from the position of the
body on the celestial sphere, and as the centers of the celestial sphere and the earth are coincident, this
will be the same as the angular distance on the earth, of the observer from the geographical position of the
body. Furthermore, when we measure an angular distance on the surface of the earth and express it in
minutes of arc, it becomes, by definition of the nautical mile.
 Celestial LOP
Thus the zenith distance becomes the radius of our position circle which is centered on the geographical position of the body.

In this manner it would be possible to navigate by plotting the geographical positions of two or more bodies on a chart and drawing circles of
radius the bodies’ zenith distances and obtain affix at the intersection of the circles. However, to do this we would need a chart of a very large
area, and because of the large radii the plot would be on a very small scale. Far too small for the required accuracy. Moreover the circles
would not appear on the Mercator chart as true circles and would thus be difficult to plot.
To get around this problem we only draw that part of the position circle that passes near to the DR position, and because of the large radius
of the circle such a small part of it can be taken as a straight line without material error. Thus our position circle now becomes a position line,
which strictly speaking is a tangent to the position line.
The direction in which the line runs near to the DR position is found by calculating the true bearing of the body. The line representing this
bearing will be a radius of the position circle and therefore the position line, being a tangent to the circle is at right angles to this bearing.
Thus we can draw this position line on the chart without plotting the geographical position as long as we know some point through which to
draw it. All methods of sight reduction are means of finding the direction of such a position line and a position through which it passes .
 Selecting Bodies for Observation

Observing two heavenly bodies in rapid succession is the most convenient method of finding two lines of position necessary
to establish a fix. Noting three bodies gives three lines and these three define the fix more accurately as in piloting.
Accuracy of the fix established by intersecting lines of position depends upon the angle between the lines. The nearer this
angle approaches 90° the more accurate is the fix.
The ideal situation for lines of position established by observing three bodies would be that wherein the bodies lie 120° apart
in azimuth. An ideal fix using four bodies would include two north-south lines and two east west lines of position to form a box.
Lines perpendicular to the course are frequently valuable for checking the run. Those lines parallel to it are helpful deciding
the accuracy of the course made good.
Concerning altitude best results are obtained by observation of bodies whose altitudes are between 15° and 65°. In general,
observations are taken from bodies whose altitudes are between 10° and 80°.
 Line Position by Marcq Saint-Hilaire (Intercept Method)
This clever technique determines the true line of position from an assumed line of position. Let’s say you
measured the altitude of the Sun at a given moment in time. You look up the GHA and declination of the Sun in the
nautical almanac corresponding to the time of your altitude measurement. From an assumed position of latitude
and longitude, you calculate the altitude and azimuth of the Sun according to the preceding section and arrive at Hc
and Zn. On your map, you draw a line thru the pin-point assumed latitude and longitude, angled perpendicular to the
azimuth angle. This is your assumed line of position. The true line of position will be offset from this line either
towards the sun or away from it, this distance is what we call the Intercept, after comparing it to the actual
observed altitude (Ho) (the raw sextant measurement is Hs, and needs all the appropriate corrections applied to
make it an ‘observed altitude’).
INTERCEPT- Is the difference between Calculated zenith distance and true zenith distance

By calculating an altitude, you have created one circle of constant altitude about the geographical position, knowing
that the actual circle of constant altitude is concentric to the calculated one. The difference in observed altitude and
calculated altitude informs you how much smaller or larger the actual circle is. Offsetting along the radial azimuth
line, the true circle will cross the azimuth line at the intercept point.
 Plotting of the Line of Position
1. Plot the AP (DR latitude and longitude) and obtain the azimuth from tables.

2. Lay off azimuth line from the AP toward or away from the body depending on
whether the observed altitude is greater or less than the computed altitude.

3. Measure in the proper direction, along the azimuth line, the difference between the
observed and the computed altitude in miles and tenths of miles. This distance is called
the altitude intercept (“a”).

4. Draw a line at the extremity of altitude intercept, perpendicular to the azimuth line. At
the time of observation this is a line of position.

5. Label the line of position with the time of observation and the name of the observed
body.
Applying Altitude Correction to Sextant Altitude to obtain Observed Altitude
Example 1 : Sun’s Lower Limb
On 24thMay, the sun was sighted by lowering its lower limb(LL) on the horizon and
produced a sextant altitude (Hs) of 85° 00.4’. The sextant has an index error (IE) of 0.3’
OFF the arc and the observer’s height of eye (HE) is 12 feet above water level. What is
the observed altitude (Ho) of the sun?
Altitude correction Table
Table A2 from Nautical Almanac
 Example 2 : Sun’s Upper Limb
On 23rd February, the sun was sighted by lowering its upper limb (UL) on the horizon
and produced a sextant altitude (Hs) of 37° 48.2’. The sextant has an index error (IE) of
2.3’ OFF the arc and the observer’s height of eye (HE) is 7.1 meters above water level.
What is the observed altitude (Ho) of the sun?
 Example 3 : Stars
On 18th February, the sextant altitude (Hs) of star Hadar is 22° 33.4’. The sextant has an
index error (IE) of 2.8’ ON the arc and the observer’s height of eye (HE) is 6.5 meters
above water level. What is the observed altitude (Ho) of the star?
Answer :
Altitude correction Table
Table A2 from Nautical Almanac
 Example 4 : Planets
On 10th March, sextant altitude (Hs) of planet Venus is 48° 24.2’. The sextant has an
index error (IE) of 3.4’ OFF the arc and the observer’s height of eye (HE) is 40.0 feet
above water level. What is the observed altitude (Ho) of the planet?
Altitude correction Table
Table A2 from Nautical Almanac
 Celestial Triangle
Celestial Triangle
A triangle formed by arcs of great circles of a sphere is called a spherical triangle. A spherical triangle on
the celestial sphere is called a celestial triangle. The spherical triangle of particular significance to
navigators is called the navigational triangle, formed by arcs of a celestial meridian, an hour circle, and a
vertical circle. Its vertices are the elevated pole, the zenith, and a point on the celestial sphere (usually a
celestial body). The terrestrial counterpart is also called a navigational triangle, being formed by arcs of
two meridians and the great circle connecting two places on the Earth, one on each meridian. The
vertices are the two places and a pole. In great-circle sailing these places are the point of departure and
the destination.
In celestial navigation they are the assumed position (AP) of the observer and the geographical position
(GP) of the body (the point having the body in its zenith).The navigational or PZX triangle is a term used
in Celestial Navigation, and its solution can give you your position anywhere on the globe. The sky is
described as a Celestial Sphere with a North and South Pole corresponding to our own North and South
Pole. Conveniently, the 'Pole Star' lies (more or less) at the North Pole of the Celestial Sphere.

The PZX triangle is a spherical triangle with the following points of reference:
 The PZX triangle is a spherical triangle with the following
points of reference
P -is the Celestial Pole (North or South). For Celestial Navigational use, it remains a fixed point.
Z- is the point on the observer's meridian, where a line from the center of the earth (treated in
this case as a 'sphere') projected outwards through the observer and onto the Celestial Sphere
points to his Zenith. A simple way of thinking about it is to imagine that when you are standing on
Z, your feet point directly towards the center of the earth, and your head points to your Zenith.
Thus 'Z', the observer's position on the earth, can be described in terms of 'Latitude' (degrees
north or south of the Equator) and Longitude (degrees east or west of the Greenwich Meridian).
X- is the point on the Celestial Sphere of any heavenly body: The Sun, The Moon, The Planets,
The Stars. Some of these points appear to move relative to the celestial sphere (The Sun, The
Moon, The Planets), but the Stars remain relatively fixed (at least as far as Celestial Navigation
is concerned). X is described in terms of its angular height above or below the equator, known as
its Declination (corresponding to its Latitude), and its 'Hour angle', the angle between its meridian
and the Greenwich meridian (corresponding to its Longitude). This angle, known as the
Greenwich Hour Angle', gives its Longitude. If you are standing on the Greenwich meridian, the
angle between your meridian and that of X will be its Greenwich Hour Angle, measured in
degrees. However, if you are somewhere else, then the angle between you and the object is
known as its Local Hour Angle.
 The PZX triangle

Any of these points on the Celestial Sphere can be joined by an imaginary line to the (theoretical) center of the earth, and the
point at which they meet the surface of the earth gives you a spherical triangle with the coordinates PZX.
If you know, or can discover, the Angles subtended by P,Z and X at any given point in time, then you can fix your position
anywhere on the globe.
The angle subtended at P between Z and X is the Local Hour Angle (LHA)of X. If Z is on the Greenwich Meridian, then that
Angle must be the Greenwich Hour Angle (GHA) of X. If Z is not on the Greenwich Meridian, then you have the Local Hour
Angle (LHA) of X, and if you know the GHA of Z, all you need to do is add the LHA of X, to discover the Longitude of Z. As
you are usually standing on the point Z, you have your Longitude. If the sum comes to more than 360 degrees, simply
subtract 360, and lo, the answer is simple.
To find your Latitude, you need to be able to measure the vertical angle of X from your horizon, and for this you need a
Sextant. If you know the Declination of X (you can find this in a reference book known as an Almanac), then with the use of a
set of tables known as 'Sight Reduction Tables' and some simple mathematics, you can work out your Latitude as accurately
as you can measure the vertical angle, or Altitude, of X.
 Intercept Method
Intercept – It is a measure of the distance from the assumed position to the line of
position. To determine the direction of the line of position. The difference
between the calculated Zenith distance and true zenith distance.
Example: On 5th October 2023 .Ships time 0746h DR position 42°00’S, 064° 30’E
The sextant altitude of the sun Lower limb is 27°42.9’, Index error nil and
heigh of eye 15.2m the chronometer time is 26m 05s slow on GMT showed
03h 20m 14s. Calculate the intercept and direction of the position line.
Soln. first step Finding the GMT and Date
Given: Chronometer time = 03h 20m14s Lat. 42°00’S HS: 27°42.9’ LL
Error ( Slow) = + 26m 05s Long. 064°30’E H.E(Dip)15.2m
GMT = 03h 46m 19s 05th October 2023
Longitude E = 04h_______
ZT = 07h 46m 19s
 Second steps use the Nautical Almanac finding LHA
Find the GHA of the Celestial body (sun) to obtain the LHA based on the GMT and Date
GMT = 03h 46m 19s 05th October 2023
GHA of the sun 03h/ 05 Oct.2023 = 227°51.1’ Dec.= 04°35.7’S Lat. 42°00’S
incr.corn 46m 19s = 11° 34.8 (d)corn1.0 = 0.8 +
GHA of the sun = 239°25 .9 dec = 04°36.5 S
Longitude (East) = 064° 30’ E
LHA = 303 ° 55 .9’E 0 -180 W > 180 E
Third step. COS CZD = COS LAT X COS DEC X COS LHA +/- SIN LAT X SIN DEC
COS CZD = COS 42°00’S X COS 04°36.5 X COS 303 ° 55 .9 + SIN 42°00’ X SIN04°36.5
COS CZD = 0.74314 X 0.99677 X 0.55820 + 0.66913 X 0.08034
COS CZD = 0.41348 + 0.05376 Lat and Dec same name + (Add)
COS CZD = 0.46724 Different name Subtract (-)
Calculated Zenith Distance (CZD) = 62°08.6’
Daily pages 05 October 2023
GHA of the sun 03hours and Declination
Increments And Correction tables
46 m 19 seconds
Formula derive in finding calculated zenith distance is from PZX
Triangle = Cos CZD = Cos P x cos L x cos Dec +/- Sin L x sin
Dec
 4th steps finding the intercept by using N.A. altitude Correction
HS = 27°42.9’
I.E. = 0_____ index error =( +) off the arc ( –) on the arc
Observe Altitude(HO) = 27°42.9’
H.E.(Dip) 15.2m = - 6.9 > see the ppt below
HA = 27° 36.0’
MC = + 14.4’ > see the ppt below
True Altitude(HT) = 27° 50.4’
- 90°_____
True Zenith Distance(TZD) = 62° 09.6’ True Great Away / True Less Towards
Cal. Zenith Distance (CZD) = 62°08.6’
Intercept = 1.0’ Away
Altitude Correction Table for sun, Stars & Planet 10°- 90°
 5th Step use ABC method to get the value of C
• Use the ABC Method Lat. = 42°00’S
LHA =303 ° 55 .9’E
A = Tan Lat Name A Opposite to Latitude except LHA is between 090° to 270°
Tan LHA
A = Tan 42°00’
Tan 303° 55.9’
A = 0.90040 ignore the negative sign on Calculator
1.48638
A = 0.61N
 Finding the value of B And C
B = Tan Dec Dec .= 04°36.5 S
Sin LHA LHA =303 ° 55 .9’E
B = Tan 04°36.5’
Sin 303°55.9
B = 0.08060 ignore the negative sign on Calculator
0.82970
B = .097 or 0.10 S Name B same as Declination
Finding the Value of C You Have to add A and B if same name , retain the direction
If C different Name Subract A and B, carry the greater value for Direction
A = 0.61N
B = 0.10 S
C = 0.51 N
6th Steps finding the Azimuth and True bearing of celestial
body
formula : Tan Azimuth(Z) = 1_______ first get the value of denominator
C x Cos Lat Lat. = 42°00’S
Tan Azimuth = 1 C = 0.51 N
0.51 x 0.74314 LHA =303 ° 55 .9’E
Tan Azimuth = 1______
0.37900
Tan Azimuth = 2.63852
Azimuth = N 69.2 E Name of Azimuth From value of C and LHA
True bearing = 069°T
 7th Steps Plotting the line of Position
Example: True Zenith Distance(TZD) = 62° 09.6’ Cal. Zenith Distance (CZD) = 62°08.6’
True bearing =069°T . Calculate the Intercept and Line of Position
TZD = 62° 09.6’ True Great Away
- CZD = 62°08.6’ True Less Towards
Intercept = 1.0’ Away 1’ of an arc = 1NM.
LOP = T/B(069°) + 90 = 159° + 180° =339°
LOP = 159° - 339°