Nav 112 - 01 Earth, Coordinates and Circles

Basic
Terrestrial Navigation
Chapter 1
Introduction to Terrestrial Navigation
Introduction
What We’ll Cover
Basic Navigation Process
Basic Definitions
Earth
Great and small circles
Measuring location
Measuring direction (later)
Basic Coastal Navigation - Chapter 1

13 DEC 04 SUNY Maritime College Department of Marine Transportation 2
Planet Earth
Oblate spheroid (flattened at
poles)
Diameter = 6,880 nautical miles
Circumference = 21,614 nautical
miles
Circumference of the earth is a
circle which is divided into
360 degrees
Degrees subdivided into 60
minutes and fractions of a
minute.
Typical Graph
Y A typical chart
works on a system
(-X,+Y) (+X,+Y)
similar to a basic
(0,0)
X
graph
(-X,-Y) (+X,-Y)
It uses two sets
of coordinates to
determine location

East West, North South
on The Earth
Let the X axis be the
Equator.
Y
Let the Y axis be the
Prime Meridian
that runs through
X Greenwich outside
of London.
Lat/Long are the 2 grid
points by
which you can locate
any point on
13 DEC 04
earth.
SUNY Maritime College Department of Marine Transportation 5
on the Earth
Chart Orientation
N
is always the same
W E Top is NORTH
S Bottom is SOUTH
Left is WEST
Right is EAST
on the Earth
The N tells us we’re
(N, W) (N, E)
north of the Equator. The
S tells us we’re south of
the Equator.
The E tells us that
we’re east of the Prime
Meridian. The W tells us
(S, W) (S, E) that we’re west of the
Prime Meridian.
on the Earth
(N, W) That means all
points in North
America will have a
North latitude and a
West longitude
because it is North of
the Equator and West
Prime Meridian
of the Prime Meridian.
on the Earth
What would be
the latitude and
longitude directions
in Australia?
Prime Meridian
?
If you said South and East , you’re right!

What is Latitude?
Latitude is the distance
90°N from the
Y
equator along the Y axis.
All points along the
X equator have a value of 0
degrees latitude.
North pole = 90°N
South pole = 90°S
90°S Values are expressed in
terms of degrees.
What is Latitude?
Each degree of
90°N
Y latitude is divided
into
X 60 minutes.
Each minute is
divided tenths of a
90°S
minute
This is also true of longitude.
What is Latitude?
For Example:
90°N
Y
40° 48.3’N
X
This is close to
the latitude where
we are at Fort
90°S
Schuyler.

What is Longitude?
Longitude is the
distance from the prime
Y meridian along the X axis.
All points along the
prime meridian have a
X value of 0 degrees
longitude.
The earth is divided
into two parts, or
180°W
hemispheres, of east
180°E
and west longitude.
What is Longitude?
The earth is
Y divided into 360
equal slices
X
(meridians)
180 west and
180 east of the
prime meridian
180°W 180°E

What is Latitude?
The latitude
90°N
Y and longitude in
the center of the
X Fort is:
40° 48.3’N
90°S 073°
47.5’W
So Where is (0,0)?
The origin point
(0,0) is where the
equator intersects
the
prime meridian.
(0,0) is off the
western coast of
Africa in the Atlantic
Ocean.
Which Quadrant are These
Latitudes / Longitudes Located?
1. 41°N, 21°E
2. 37°N, 76°W
3. 72°S, 141°W
A B
4. 7°S, 23°W
C D 5. 15°N, 29°E
6. 34°S, 151°E

1. B
2. A
3. C
4. C
5. B
6. D
Positioning on the Earth’s Surface
Latitude: (90oN to 90oS)
East is the direction of North Pole
rotation of the Earth
Tropic of Cancer Latitude 23½o North

21st June 90
60o90
30
30 Eo
60
90 W
o
22nd Sept 66½23½

o
o
Equator 900 23½o Latitude 0o
20 March
th
22nd December
Tropic of Capricorn Latitude 23½o South
Longitude 90o West

Longitude 90oEast
Longitude 60o West Longitude 60o East
Longitude 30o West Longitude 30o East

South Pole
Latitude and Longitude together enable the fixing of position on the Earth’s
surface.
Latitudes and Longitudes

Great Circles
Formed by planes passed

through earth’s center.
Separate earth into two
hemispheres.
Shortest distance between
any two points lies on great
circle connecting them.

Equator
Great circle equidistant

between geographic
poles called equator.
Forms demarcation
between north & south
hemispheres.

Small Circles
Plane passed through earth that does not touch

the earth’s center.
Small circles parallel to equator termed latitude.
Small Circle
Latitude is one of two
L = 30º N
reference coordinates
used to describe
position on the earth. Equator

Longitude or “Meridians”
Great circles that pass through the polar axis
of rotation.
0º passes through Greenwich, England.
Commonly called the Prime Meridian.
Polar Axis
Measured east and Lo = 110 º E Lo = 50 º E
west through 180º.
Provide the second Lo = 130 º W Lo = 70 º W
coordinate - longitude.

L & Lo Review
Latitude (L) Longitude (Lo)

Parallel lines N or S Parallels E or W of
of equator prime meridian
Equator = 0º PM = 0º
Must indicate N or S Must indicate E or W
North pole = 90º N Naval Observatory,
Washington, D.C. is
77º 3.9’W

Describing Location
L 52º 3.7’ N
Lo 37º 25.0’ W

Scales for L & Lo
Minutes of L & Lo delineated

along chart edges.
Bar color alternates, black to
white, for ease of reading.
Each bar divided into tenths.
L & Lo lines drawn chart

every 5 minutes of L & Lo.
Helpful to determine position
on chart.

Reading Latitude
The latitude markings are on the WESTERN
and SOUTHERN sides of your THIS chart, read
from bottom to top.
What is the latitude indicated

for the bottom of the chart?
41º 09.0’N
What is the latitude indicated

for the top of the chart?
41º 45.0’N
Reading Longitude
Measured along top and bottom of chart, measured
E to W in western hemisphere (right to left).
What is the longitude indicated for

the left side of the chart?
71º 35.0’W
What is the Longitude indicated for

the right side of the chart?
70º 36.0’W
Measuring Distance
1 Degree of Latitude = 60 Minutes of Latitude

1 Minute of Latitude = 1 Nautical Mile
1 Degree of Latitude = 60 Nautical Miles
“a Mile a Minute!”

Point to Consider
Distance between minutes of
latitude
is constant.
So, we can use latitude to measure
distance.
Is this true of longitude?

No - longitude lines converge at
poles.
So - distance between minutes
gets smaller as you go north or
north from equator.
END HERE
You can read ahead at your option – we will cover these

additional topics in a later lesson

Fundamental Definitions
Line of position – a measurement where

you have the possibility of being anywhere
along that line. Or here!
I might be
here
Or here

FIX – The intersection of two or more lines of

positions, usually using at least three, for
accuracy. A definite sure position.
You are
here!

Estimated Position – most probable position

of the vessel based on incomplete data or
data of questionable accuracy
I’m somewhere
in here!

More Examples
What is the distance from the equator to:

L 22 º 10.0’N?
(22º x 60 M/º) + 10.0’ x 1 M/min = 1,330 M
Your position: L 39º49.6’N and

a vessel passing you is 3 NM South.
What is the vessel’s latitude ?

L: 39º49.6’N – (3 M / 1 M/min) = 39º46.6’N
How Big is Your Chart ?
What is the difference in latitude and
longitude between the respective edges of
the 1210 TR chart?
L 41º 09.0’N - L 40º 45’N = 0.36’
Lo 70º 36.0’W - Lo 71º 35’W = 0.39’

What We Really Need to
Know is Distance:
How far is it in nautical miles from the
bottom to the top of the chart?
0.36’ = 36 NM
Measuring Other Distances
Two ways:
One: Use dividers to transfer measurements
taken from L scale and apply them to Lo.
Two: Use distance scale found at top and
bottom of chart in the same way.
Using either of these methods, how far

is it in nautical miles from right to left
side of your chart?
44.3 Nautical Miles
Measuring Directions
Direction, too, must be keyed to a reference.
We use notion of north & south

3 00 °
poles as references. 85 °
But, what is exact location of poles? 1 1 0°
Depends on whether we use magnetic

or geographic poles as reference.
Relative Bearings
Direction of targets sometimes measured

with reference to vessel’s bow.
Measured clockwise from dead ahead.
045
R
Hdg =
090 T

Relative Bearings
Relative bearing of
target added to ship’s
heading to determine
actual bearing of target.
If heading “True”, target
bearing also “True”, etc. Hdg 090 T
Rel Brg + 045
Brg 135 T
Relative Bearings
Sometimes the result of
calculation may exceed
360º.
To correct, subtract 360º.
Hdg 345 M
Rel Brg + 050
395 M
Correct - 360
Brg 035 M
Reciprocal Bearings
Reciprocal bearing is the 180º opposite
of a bearing.
340º
If true course to target is 160º, reciprocal
(course from target to your vessel) would
be 340º.
When calculation exceeds 360º, Subtract
360º.
270º Brg 273 T 160º
090º Add 180º + 180

453 T
Correct - 360
Reciprocal 093 T
End of Chapter 1

Steps in Voyage Planning
Assemble Required Reference Materials

Formulate Voyage Alternatives
Evaluate Alternatives
Select Best Voyage Plan
Prepare Float Plan
Complete Pre-Underway Vessel Checks
Weigh Anchor
Steps in Underway
Navigation
Start A Circular System
Update DR Plot
Repeat this process every 30
minutes while underway
Search for FIX Opportunities
Piloting Electronic Navigation Celestial

Use Visual Methods Use Shipboard Electronics Observations
Compare FIX With DR Plot Compute Current

Set and Drift

Nav 112 - 01 Earth, Coordinates and Circles

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Basic

Basic Coastal Navigation - Chapter 1

Basic Coastal Navigation - Chapter 1

If you said South and East , you’re right!

Basic Coastal Navigation - Chapter 1

Basic Coastal Navigation - Chapter 1

Basic Coastal Navigation - Chapter 1

Tropic of Cancer Latitude 23½o North

22nd Sept 66½23½

Longitude 90o West

Longitude 30o West Longitude 30o East

Basic Coastal Navigation - Chapter 1

Formed by planes passed

Basic Coastal Navigation - Chapter 1

Great circle equidistant

Basic Coastal Navigation - Chapter 1

Plane passed through earth that does not touch

Small circles parallel to equator termed latitude.

Basic Coastal Navigation - Chapter 1

Basic Coastal Navigation - Chapter 1

Latitude (L) Longitude (Lo)

Basic Coastal Navigation - Chapter 1

Basic Coastal Navigation - Chapter 1

Minutes of L & Lo delineated

L & Lo lines drawn chart

Basic Coastal Navigation - Chapter 1

What is the latitude indicated

What is the latitude indicated

What is the longitude indicated for

What is the Longitude indicated for

1 Degree of Latitude = 60 Minutes of Latitude

Basic Coastal Navigation - Chapter 1

Is this true of longitude?

You can read ahead at your option – we will cover these

Basic Coastal Navigation - Chapter 1

Line of position – a measurement where

Basic Coastal Navigation - Chapter 1

FIX – The intersection of two or more lines of

Basic Coastal Navigation - Chapter 1

Estimated Position – most probable position

Basic Coastal Navigation - Chapter 1

What is the distance from the equator to:

Your position: L 39º49.6’N and

What is the vessel’s latitude ?

Basic Coastal Navigation - Chapter 1

Using either of these methods, how far

Direction, too, must be keyed to a reference.

We use notion of north & south

But, what is exact location of poles? 1 1 0°

Depends on whether we use magnetic

Direction of targets sometimes measured

Basic Coastal Navigation - Chapter 1

090º Add 180º + 180

Basic Coastal Navigation - Chapter 1

Assemble Required Reference Materials

Piloting Electronic Navigation Celestial

Compare FIX With DR Plot Compute Current

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