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    Basics of Celestial Navigation - Stars: - Coordinate Systems

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    Abdullah Zaki
    The document discusses celestial navigation techniques using the coordinate systems of altitude-azimuth, latitude-longitude, and declination-right ascension. It explains how the positions of stars in the sky relate to these systems and can be used to determine an observer's location on Earth. Major star groupings like the Summer Triangle, Big Dipper, and Orion are described that are useful for navigation. The document emphasizes how understanding celestial coordinates allows navigators to chart their position from the stars alone.

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    Basics of Celestial Navigation - Stars: - Coordinate Systems

    Uploaded by

    Abdullah Zaki
    299 views37 pages
    The document discusses celestial navigation techniques using the coordinate systems of altitude-azimuth, latitude-longitude, and declination-right ascension. It explains how the positions of stars in the sky relate to these systems and can be used to determine an observer's location on Earth. Major star groupings like the Summer Triangle, Big Dipper, and Orion are described that are useful for navigation. The document emphasizes how understanding celestial coordinates allows navigators to chart their position from the stars alone.

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    Celestial Coordinate Systems

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    The document discusses celestial navigation techniques using the coordinate systems of altitude-azimuth, latitude-longitude, and declination-right ascension. It explains how the positions of stars in the sky relate to these systems and can be used to determine an observer's location on Earth. Major star groupings like the Summer Triangle, Big Dipper, and Orion are described that are useful for navigation. The document emphasizes how understanding celestial coordinates allows navigators to chart their position from the stars alone.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    299 views37 pages

    Basics of Celestial Navigation - Stars: - Coordinate Systems

    Uploaded by

    Abdullah Zaki
    The document discusses celestial navigation techniques using the coordinate systems of altitude-azimuth, latitude-longitude, and declination-right ascension. It explains how the positions of stars in the sky relate to these systems and can be used to determine an observer's location on Earth. Major star groupings like the Summer Triangle, Big Dipper, and Orion are described that are useful for navigation. The document emphasizes how understanding celestial coordinates allows navigators to chart their position from the stars alone.

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    You are on page 1of 37

    Basics of Celestial Navigation -

    stars
    • Coordinate systems
    – Observer based – azimuth and altitude
    – Earth based – latitude and longitude
    – Celestial – declination and right ascension (or
    sidereal hour angle)
    • Relationship among three – star pillars
    • Motions of the stars in the sky
    • Major star groupings
    Comments on coordinate systems
    • All three are basically ways of describing locations on a
    sphere – inherently two dimensional
    – Requires two parameters (e.g. latitude and longitude)
    • Reality – three dimensionality
    – Height of observer
    – Oblateness of earth, mountains
    – Stars at different distances (parallax)
    • What you see in the sky depends on
    – Date of year
    – Time
    – Latitude
    – Longitude
    – Which is how we can use the stars to navigate!!
    Altitude-Azimuth coordinate system
    Based on what an observer sees in the sky.
    Zenith = point directly above the observer (90o)
    Nadir = point directly below the observer (-90o) – can’t be seen
    Horizon = plane (0o)
    Altitude = angle above the horizon to an object (star, sun, etc)
    (range = 0o to 90o)
    Azimuth = angle from
    true north (clockwise)
    to the perpendicular arc
    from star to horizon
    (range = 0o to 360o)

    Note: lines of azimuth


    converge at zenith
    The arc in the sky from azimuth of 0o to 180o
    is called the local meridian
    Point of view of the observer
    Latitude
    Latitude – angle from the equator (0o) north (positive) or
    south (negative) to a point on the earth – (range = 90o = north
    pole to – 90o = south pole). 1 minute of latitude is always =
    1 nautical mile (1.151 statute miles)

    Note: It’s more


    common to express
    Latitude as 26oS or
    42oN
    Longitude

    Longitude = angle from the prime meridian (=0o) parallel


    to the equator to a point on earth (range = -180o to 0 to
    +180o) East of PM = positive, West of PM is negative.
    Distance between lines of longitude depend on latitude!!

    Note: sometimes
    positive longitude
    is expressed as
    West, but this is
    inconsistent with
    math conventions.
    Avoid confusion:
    40oW or 40o E
    Comments on longitude

    Location of prime meridian is arbitrary = Greenwich


    observatory in UK

    1 minute of longitude = 1 nautical mile * cosine(latitude)

    Lines of longitude converge at the north and south poles

    To find longitude typically requires a clock, although there


    is a technique, called the lunar method that relies on the fact
    that the moon moves ½ of a degree per hour.
    Celestial coordinates - some definitions
    North celestial pole = point in sky directly above north pole
    on earth (i.e. zenith of north pole)
    South celestial pole = zenith of south pole on earth

    Celestial equator – circle


    surrounding equator on earth

    Ecliptic – path followed


    by the sun through the
    sky over the course of
    the year against a
    “fixed” background of
    stars
    Declination – angle from celestial equator (=0o), positive
    going north (north celestial pole = + 90o), negative going
    south (south celestial pole = - 90o)

    Right ascension (RA) – angle from celestial “prime meridian” –


    equivalent of celestial longitude

    RA – typically expressed
    as a time going east – 0 to
    24 hours is 360o

    “Prime meridian” – point


    where sun is located at
    the vernal equinox (spring)
    (called vernal equinoctial
    colure)
    Declination and “star pillars”

    Declination “maps” onto latitude –


    At some point a star of a given
    declination will pass over the zenith
    at a point on the earth at its corresponding latitude.

    This happens once every


    24 hours
    Alternative to Right Ascension

    Sidereal Hour Angle (SHA) - same as RA, except measured


    in degrees, going from 0 to 360o – conversion is straightforward

    Note: RA is/was useful


    for navigation with clocks
    As with longitude, the actual angular width between
    lines of SHA shrinks with higher declination as
    Cosine(declination)
    John Huth’s alternative to SHA, RA
    Use same convention as for terrestrial longitude, with
    positive and negative angles. Prime meridian corresponds
    to 0o for SHA
    Same as SHA for 0o to 180o and (360o – SHA) for values
    of SHA from 180o to 360o

    Why? Easy to remember,


    and allows you to associate
    star coordinates with points
    on earth. Makes it easier to
    visualize and memorize.
    Also – declination and latitude
    go together.
    Example
    69oE 78oE 89oE
    Aldeberan (Taurus) = 69 E o

    Rigel (Orion) = 78oE


    Betelgeuse (Orion) = 89oE
    Aldeberan

    Betelgeuse New Delhi

    Procyon Orion

    Rigel Calcutta
    Dwarka
    Sirius

    Method – lie “on your back”


    look at the stars and visualize
    the locations on the globe
    (otherwise, it’s a mirror image)
    Example
    89oE 78oE 69oE
    Aldeberan (Taurus) = 69 E - Dwarka
    o

    Rigel (Orion) = 78oE – New Delhi


    Betelgeuse (Orion) = 89oE - Calcutta

    New Delhi
    Aldeberan

    Betelgeuse

    Calcutta
    Dwarka
    Orion

    Rigel
    Can associate star coordinates with latitude and
    Longitude of locations on earth

    Note: don’t expect alignment with any star – this is just


    a way to memorize coordinates
    Important Point
    • Mariners had to/have to rely on tables for
    star coordinates
    • You can memorize major navigational star
    coordinates and eliminate tables
    • Helps identify stars, too
    • On a desert island, with only a watch, can
    identify latitude and longitude – along with
    your memory!
    • Tell that to the creators of “Lost”!!
    Mapping of three coordinate systems onto each other
    How stars move through the sky
    • Stars move in arcs that parallel the
    celestial equator – angle perpendicular to
    celestial equator is the declination
    • Star move across the sky at 15o per hour
    (4 minutes per degree)
    • Each day star positions move 1o west
    • Stars on the celestial equator rise and set
    with angles of (90o – Latitude)
    • Some stars are “circumpolar” – never set
    Star paths in the sky form arcs in the sky

    At the equator,
    stars rise and set at
    right angles to the
    Horizon.
    At Boston (41oN), stars due
    east will rise and set at an
    angle (90o –Latitude) = 49o
    with respect to the horizon
    (i.e. on celestial equator)

    Stars always move in arcs


    parallel to the celestial
    equator
    Paths of stars as seen
    from the N. Arctic Circle
    66o N – few stars rise and
    set – most make complete
    circles
    Rising/setting angle is (90o – Latitude) due
    east/west – along celestial equator
    Angles are smaller the further N/S one goes

    θ
    Relation between Azimuth, Latitude and Declination of
    rising and setting stars

    sin(d )
    cos( Rz ) 
    cos( L)
    Where Rz = rising azimuth
    d = declination
    L = Latitude
    So – at equator, L=0, cos(L) = 1, rising azimuth is the
    declination of the star – exploited by Polynesians in
    star compasses (near the equator cos(L) close to 1

    Can use this to find latitude, if you’re willing to do the


    math, and find the azimuth of a rising star, knowing
    the star’s declination.
    Notes on azimuth – when sin(d )  cos( L)
    Then star is either circumpolar or below the horizon
    Example – at latitude 45oN, cos(L)=0.707, the star
    Capella (declination = 46o) just becomes circumpolar
    Then cos(Rz) is just slightly greater than 1.

    Largest rising/setting angles for Rz = 90/270 degrees


    (along celestial equator)
    Circumpolar stars – never set
    Knowing a star’s declination, can get latitude
    from horizon grazing stars.

    Latitude = (polar distance – minimum height)

    Polar distance =
    (90o – Declination)

    Min. star height

    Horizon (est)
    Some star groupings
    • If you can locate stars and know the
    declination you can find your latitude.
    • With a watch, and SHA (or “stellar
    longitude”), you can find your longitude
    (must know date).
    • Clustering into constellations and their
    stories help locate stars by name.
    “Arc to Arcturus, spike to Spica”

    After sunset: Big dipper


    Spring/summer

    Arcturus (Decl = 19oN) Arcturus


    and Spica (Decl = 11oS)
    “alone” in this part of
    the sky (“longitude” =
    146oW and 159oW
    Spica
    respectively)
    Summer triangle and Antares
    Deneb Vega

    Altair

    Antares is only
    visible for a short Antares
    period (hours) in
    mid summer.
    Declination = 26oS

    Good candidate for a Scorpio

    horizon grazing star in


    the summer
    Summer triangle, northern cross (Cygnus)

    Deneb

    Vega

    Summer
    Triangle

    Cygnus/
    Northern
    Cross Altair

    Vega (Decl = 39oN) and Deneb (Decl = 45o) straddle zenith


    in Boston (Latitude = 42o), Altair is 9o N
    Finding Polaris from the big dipper

    Schedar
    Schedar (Decl = 56o)
    and Dubhe (Decl = 62o) Cassiopeia
    are circumpolar for Boston

    Polaris
    Also can be used as
    the basis for a “clock”
    (project)

    Dubhe

    Big dipper/Ursa major


    Constellation story about Orion

    Pleiades

    Aldeberan

    Betelgeuse
    Mintaka – right star
    Procyon Orion
    in belt is on the equator
    Rigel

    Sirius

    Winter constellations – Zeus’ daughters, Pleiades (24N, 57E)


    are guarded by Taurus (Aldeberan = orange eye – 17N, 69E), from
    Orion, the hunter (Betelgeuse = 7N, 89E, Rigel 8S,78E), followed
    by hunting dogs Canis Minor (Procyon = 5N, 115E) and
    Canis Major (Sirius = 17S and 101E)
    Time lapse image of Orion

    Betelgeuse

    Arcturus

    Sirius
    Rigel
    Late winter/early spring constellations

    Pollux/Procyon line (115E) forms good north-south arc


    Pollux (28N, 115E) is readily recognized with twin Castor
    Gemini

    Leo Pollux

    Regulus
    Procyon
    Regulus (12N, 152E)
    marks start of sparsely populated
    region of stars in N. hemisphere –
    closest is Arcturus (142W)

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