Rembrandt.

The Storm on the Sea

of Galilee
1633
 Nautical Almanac

Reducing a celestial sight to obtain a line of position

using the tables consists of six steps:
1. Correct the sextant altitude (Hs) to obtain observed
altitude (Ho).
2. Determine the body’s GHA and declination (dec.).
3. Select an assumed position (AP) and find its local
hour angle (LHA).
4. Compute altitude and azimuth for the AP.
5. Compare the computed and observed altitudes.
6. Plot the line of position.
 History of the Nautical Almanac

The Royal Greenwich Observatory published the

first nautical almanac in 1766.
The USA edition, “The American Ephemeris and
Nautical Almanac” was first published in 1852.
In 1958, both almanacs were unified.
At the beginning of 1980s, UT replaced GMT in the
Nautical Almanac.
In 1989, Concise Sight Reduction Tables were
added.
 Nautical Almanac

The Nautical Almanac contains the astronomical

information specifically needed by marine navigators.
The information is tabulated to the nearest 0.1' of arc
and 1 second of time.
The Nautical Almanac can be divided into five sections
as;
 explanations,
 general tables,
 daily pages,
 increments and corrections, and
 concise sight reduction tables.
 Nautical Almanac

In the explanations section, how to use the

almanac is explained with samples.
Nautical Almanac contains more explanatory data
than is contained in this section; students are
encouraged to refer to Almanac.
In almanac motion of bodies calculated as;
Sun and planets : 15⁰ per hour.
Aires and stars : 15⁰ 02’,46” per hour.
Moon : 14⁰ 19’ per hour.
 Nautical Almanac

The main tables in The Nautical Almanac are

designed as daily pages. Each daily page contains
astronomical data for 3 days.
Daily pages
 57 Stars

Left hand page

 Right hand page

Rise

Times are LMT

Set
SD= Semi Diameter
The increments and corrections
The increments and corrections part contains;
Arc to time conversion (or vice versa) table,
Increments for GHA,
corrections for v and d, and
interpolating tables for rise and set phenomenon.

The increments tables are used to determine the increments

(minutes and seconds of the time) of GHA. The GHA hourly
increment rate of the Sun and planets is 15°, for Aries, it is
15°02.5’and for the Moon, it is 14°19’.
The correction tables are used to determine “v” correction for
GHA and “d” correction for declination.
 Determining GHA and declination

The GHA and declination values are tabulated for

whole hours at the daily pages.
For the increment of time, it means minutes and
seconds of time, the change of the GHA and
declination values are determined from the
increments and correction tables.

For 12 June at 15h45m12s UT ……

Enter daily page 12 June, and 15h
45m12s is the increments of the time.
 Determining GHA and declination

Since, each body in the solar system has an

irregular rate of increase of GHA; a "v" correction is
also applied to GHA for all navigational planets and
the Moon.
The "v" corrections for the Sun and stars are so
small that they are ignored.
The "v" corrections for Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and
the Moon are always positive whereas; "v" correction
of the Venus can be negative at certain times.
 Determining GHA and declination

The "d" value appearing at the bottom of the Sun

and planets column represents the average hourly
rate of change of declination over the three-day
period covered by the daily page.
A "d" correction (actually similar to the GHA
increment) derived from the “d” value, is found from
the increment and correction pages and applied to
the tabulated declination to determine the declination.
The "d" correction can be either positive or negative
depending on the trend of the declination.
Nautical Almanac
Where I
am?

19
 GHA and Dec. of the Sun
1.Determine the UT,
2.Find the daily page and the day,
3.Find the whole hour and extract the tabulated GHA and Dec with
the d value. Note whether the declination is increasing or
decreasing,
4.On the increments and corrections pages find the minutes and
then seconds of the UT,
5.Note the increment of the GHA from the increments column, and
then using the same minute but from the corrections side, find the
correction for d,
6.Add the tabulated GHA and the increment value, this is the GHA
of the Sun,
7.If the declination is increasing with time, add the d correction to
tabulated declination, or if it is decreasing subtract it to determine
the declination.
 GHA and Dec. of the Sun

What is the GHA and declination of the Sun on 18

Nov 2011, at 10h19m16s.
UT: GHA v Dec d
10h19m36s
Tabulated 333°43.9’ - S19°11’ +0.6’
GHA (10h)
Increment 4°49’
(19m16s)
d and v - +0.2’
correction
338°32.9’ S19°11.2’

Increment also can be calculated:

Inc= 1 hour 15°
19m16s ? = 4°49’
What is the GHA and declination of the Sun on 12
May 2016, at 23h47m36s.

UT: GHA v Dec d

Tabulated
GHA ( )
Increment
( )
d and v
Correction
What is the GHA and declination of the Sun on 12
May 2016, at 23h47m36s.

UT: GHA v Dec d

Tabulated 165°54.9’ N 18°25.5’ 0.6’

GHA ( )
Increment 11°54.0’
( )
d and v - +0.5’
Correction
177°48.9’ N 18°26.0’
What is the GHA and declination of the Sun on 27
June 2016, at 01h12m09s.

UT: GHA v Dec d

Tabulated
GHA ( )
Increment
( )
d and v
correction
What is the GHA and declination of the Sun on 27
June 2016, at 01h12m09s.

UT: GHA v Dec d

Tabulated 194° 14.3’ N 23° 18.4’ 0.1

GHA ( )
Increment 3° 02.3’
( )
d and v - -0.0’
correction
197° 16.6’ N 23° 18.4’
 GHA and Dec. of the Moon

The way of determining the Moon’s GHA and

declination is similar to that of the Sun.
The main differences are the v correction which
should also be applied and the d and v values are
given for the whole hours.
The correction table for the GHA of the Moon is
based on the minimum rate at which the Moon’s GHA
increases, 14°19.0' per hour.
GHA and Dec. of the Moon
What is the GHA and declination of the Moon on 27
June 2011, at 01h42m07s.
What is the GHA and declination of the Moon on 27
June 2011, at 01h42m07s.

UT: GHA v Dec d

Tabulated 249°10.7’ 12.1’ N19°16.4’ +7.1’

GHA (01h)
Increment 10°03’
(42m07s)
d and v 8.6’ 5.0’
correction
259°22’18” N19°21.4’
What is the GHA and declination of the Moon on 12
Nov 2016, at 22h01m56s UT.

UT: GHA v Dec d

Tabulated
GHA ( )
Increment
( )
d and v
Correction
What is the GHA and declination of the Moon on 12
Nov 2016, at 22h01m56s UT.

UT: GHA v Dec d

Tabulated 355° 50.7’ 7.1 N 7° 01.8’ +11.3

GHA ( )
Increment 0° 27.7’
( )
d and v 0.2’ 0.3’
Correction
356° 18.6’ 7°02.1’
What is the GHA and declination of the Moon on 09
Apr 2016, at 12h36m46s ZT.

UT: GHA v Dec d

Tabulated
GHA ( )
Increment
( )
d and v
Correction
What is the GHA and declination of the Moon on 09
Apr 2016, at 12h36m46s ZT, (AP:28°E longitude).
(ZD:-2, UT: 12h36m46s – 2: 10h36m46s)

UT: GHA v Dec d

Tabulated 301° 43.1’ 6.0’ N 12° 54.3 +8.4

GHA ( )
Increment 8° 46.4’
( )
d and v 3.7’ 5.1’
Correction
310° 33.2‘ N 12°59.4‘
 GHA and Dec. of the planets

They will be determined by the same way employed

for the Sun and the Moon.
The differences are, the v and d values are stated
at the bottom of their related column, and the v value
may be negative for the Venus.
If so, the v correction should be subtracted from the
tabulated GHA; if not it should be added.
What is the GHA and declination of Venus on 11 Jan
2016, at 9h46m46s UT.

UT: GHA v Dec d

Tabulated
GHA ( )
Increment
( )
d and v
Correction
What is the GHA and declination of Venus on 11 Jan
2016, at 09h46m46s UT.

UT: GHA v Dec d

Tabulated 351°43.3’ -0.8 S 20° 56.0’ +0.4

GHA ( )
Increment 11°41.5’
( )
d and v -0.6’ 0.3
Correction
363°24.2’ S 20°56.3’
3°24.2’
What is the GHA and declination of Mars on 23 Agu
2016, at 19h23m23s UT.

UT: GHA v Dec d

Tabulated
GHA ( )
Increment
( )
d and v
Correction
What is the GHA and declination of Mars on 23 Agu
2016, at 19h23m23s UT.

UT: GHA v Dec d

Tabulated 10° 06.3’ 1.1 S 24° 38.0’ +0.2

GHA ( )
Increment 5° 50.8’
( )
d and v 0.4’ 0.1’
Correction
15°57.5’ S 24° 38.1’
 GHA and Dec. of the Stars

Determining the GHA and declination of a star is

different from the other celestial bodies.
The Nautical Almanac does not contain the GHA of
the stars. Since the sidereal hour angle is almost
constant (0.1’ for several days), to determine the
GHA of a star, we need to know GHA Aries.
Instead of GHA stars, GHA Aries is tabulated hourly
in the daily pages and for 57 navigational stars, the
SHA and declinations are tabulated for 3 days.
Remember that the GHA of a star is equal to GHA
Aries + SHA star.
 GHA of a star is equal to GHA Aries + SHA star

Altair
11 Jul GHA v Dec d
16h34m12s UT

Tabulated
GHAγ (16h)
Increment
(34m12s)
SHA altair
GHA of a star is equal to GHA Aries + SHA star

Altair
11 Jul GHA v Dec d
16h34m12s UT

Tabulated
169° 59.5’
GHAγ (16h)
Increment
8° 34.4’
(34m12s)
SHA altair 62° 05.9’ N 8° 54.9
240° 39.8’ N 8° 54.9
GHA of a star is equal to GHA Aries + SHA star

Hamal
22 Sep GHA v Dec d
01h47m52s UT

Tabulated
GHAγ (01h)
Increment
(47m52s)
SHA hamal
GHA of a star is equal to GHA Aries + SHA star

Hamal
22 Sep GHA v Dec d
01h47m52s UT

Tabulated
GHAγ (01h) 16° 19.6’

Increment
12° 00.0’
(47m52s)
SHA hamal 327° 58.0’ N 23° 32.4’
356° 17.6’ N 23° 32.4’
 GHA of a star is equal to GHA Aries + SHA star

Sirius
22 Sep GHA v Dec d
11h11m12s UT

Tabulated
GHAγ (11h)
Increment
(11m12s)
SHA Sirius
 GHA of a star is equal to GHA Aries + SHA star

Sirius
22 Sep GHA v Dec d
11h11m12s UT

Tabulated
GHAγ (11h) 166° 44.3’

Increment
2° 48.5’
(11m12s)
SHA Sirius 258° 31.8’ S 16° 44.3’
527° 24.6’ S 16° 44.3’
-360°:167°24.6’
What is the LHA of the Canopus, for the observer at -
34°12.9’S-012°34.2’W at 25201236 Mar 11 UT?
UT
201236 GHA v Dec d
Tabulated
122°56’
GHAγ (20h)
Increment
3°09.5’
(12m36s)
SHA 263°56.8 S52°42.5’
GHA 30°02’18”

LHAcanopus= 30°02’18” - 012°34.2’ = 17°28.1’

Find co-dec, co-lat, RA canopus, GP.
If the GHA of the sun is 235°12.3’, what is the ZT at
longitude 34°12.1’W on 15 Agu 11?

 Sun is over the longitude124°47”42”E.

 On that longitude LMT is 12h04m33s (LAN)
 If it is converted to UT, 03h45m22s.
 Convert to ZT for long 34°12.1’W , result is
02h45m22s.
At what time GHA of the Sun will be 234°56’12” on 14
Sep 16.

At 03h it is 226°07.3’, from almanac.

Now we have to find time equivalent of 8°48.9’.
Incr. And Corr. Pages. 35m15s is 8°48.9’
The result is 03h35m15s UT.
Determine the time equation at noon by using GHA
on 24 Apr 16.

We need to know meridian passage time of the Sun.

GHA should be 360° or 0°.
11h…… GHA is 345°29.1’ reminder is 14°31.9’.
Incr. and Corr. Table, 14°31.9’ is equal to 58m07s.
Apparent sun will be over the long 0° at 11h58m07s.

Compare it with meridian passage of the Sun in

Nautical almanac.
 LHA = LHA + SHA

If LHA of Aries is 23° and SHA of the star is 212°,

what is the LHA of the star?
a. 134°
b. 177°
c. Can’t be determined
d. 134°
e. 235°
What is the hourly increment rate for GHA Aries?
a. 15°02.5’
b. It depends on the day
c. 14⁰56.1’
d. Depends on the year
e. 15°
SHA is constant for the celestial bodies.
a. True
b. False

Parallel of declination is a circle parallel to the

celestial equator. Bodies are considered to travel
along the parallel of declination as the earth rotates.
c. True
d. False
How long does it take the Earth to rotate
71°11’?
a. 4h44m44s
b. 9h29m28s
c. 4h12m54s
d. 01h34m41s
e. We can't determine
A plane that cuts the Earth's surface at any
angle and passes through the centre will
always form ………..
a. The equator
b. A small circle
c. A meridian
d. A great circle
e. A latitude
To determine the sign of the d correction you should
confirm ....................
a. “d” sign in NA
b. hourly increment
c. the latitude
d. the longitude
e. It is always positive