Celestial

Navigation
By Capt. S S Shivanagi
 • 4.1 Define the celestial sphere, celestial
poles, declination circles, celestial
Part 1 meridians and equinoctial
CELESTIAL
SPHERE • 4.2 Explain the apparent annual motion

(Unit – 4) of the sun ,the concept of the Ecliptic

and the ‘Obliquity of the Ecliptic’. First
point of Aries and First point of Libra
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The Earth
 Earth
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 Earth
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Space
 Celestial Sphere
• An imaginary sphere of infinite radius, having it’s centre at the centre
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 Celestial Sphere
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Projection of Celestial Bodies on the Celestial Sphere
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 Equinoctial, Celestial Poles
• It is a great circle on the celestial sphere in the same plane as the plane of
Earth’s Equator.
• It is thus a projection of the Equator on the Celestial Sphere.
• Every point on the Equinoctial is 90 degrees from the Celestial poles.
• The projections of the Geographic poles on the celestial sphere are called the
celestial poles.

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 Declination circles
• The projections of Earth’s parallels (latitudes) on the Celestial sphere are called
Declination circles.
• Arc of a celestial meridian or angle at the center of the celestial sphere,
measured from the equinoctial to the declination circle passing thru the
celestial body
• Small circles on the Celestial Sphere, the planes of which are parallel to that of
Equinoctial.

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 Celestial Meridians
• These are semi-great circles on the celestial sphere, the planes of which pass
through the celestial poles. These correspond to the meridians on the earth.
• Celestial meridian is the great circle passing through the celestial poles, the
zenith, and the nadir of an observer's location.
• It is perpendicular to the celestial equator and horizon.
• These are also called as Secondaries

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Celestial Sphere with Ecliptic
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Annual Motion Of The Earth

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True & Apparent
S1
Annual Motion due to
Earth’s Revolution
Around The Sun -
Ecliptic E3

E4 S E2 S4
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 S1
Ecliptic

S4
S2

S3
 Ecliptic

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S3 ϒ

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Celestial Sphere with Ecliptic
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 Ecliptic
• Ecliptic is a great circle on the celestial sphere in the same plane as the Earth’s
orbit around the Sun.
• In other words, it is the projection of Earth’s orbital plane on to the celestial
sphere.
• Or, the Sun’s apparent annual path on the celestial sphere is the Ecliptic.
• It is so called as Sun, Moon and Earth must be on this plane for a solar or lunar
eclipse to occur.

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 ‘Obliquity of the Ecliptic’
• It is the angle between the plane of the Equinoctial and that of the Ecliptic. It’s value is
approximately 23.5 degrees.
• First Point of Aries:
• The two points on the celestial sphere, where ecliptic intersects equinoctial are called
the Equinoctial points.
• On 21st March, Sun appears to cross from South to North. This point is known as First
Point of Aries (Symbol ϒ).
• This occurs around 21st March and is called Vernal Equinox.
• First Point of Libra:
• On 23rd September, Sun appears to cross from North to South.
• This point is known as First Point of Libra (Symbol Ω).
• This occurs around 23rd Sep and is called Autumnal Equinox.

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 Part 2
Navigation
by Stars
Shooting the Celestial Body
 • Typical Sequence for
Corrections
Sextant Altitude
• I.E. (obtain from Instrument)
• (Off the arc ‘added’ / On the arc ‘subtracted’)

Observed Altitude
• Dip (for Height of eye) (always subtracted)
Apparent Altitude
 Total Correction which comprises of
• Refraction (always subtracted)
• Semi-Diameter (Daily pages) (Added for LL & Subtracted for UL)
• Parallax (from Nautical Tables)
True Altitude

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 Altitude
Correction
Table from
the Almanac
• Corrections to Sextant Altitude

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 Numericals
1. Sextant altitude of Sun’s LL 38° 35’, I. E. 2.0’ off arc, H. E. 15 m and semi-
diameter 15.9’. Calculate the true altitude by applying each correction
separately.
2. Sextant altitude of Sun’s UL 45° 20’, I. E. 1.5’ on the arc, H. E. 25 m and semi
diameter 16.2’. Calculate the True altitude by applying each correction
separately.
3. On 20th Jan 2008, the sextant altitude of the Sun’s lower limb was 56° 11.4’. If
the index error of the sextant was 2.8’ on the arc and the height of eye was
20m, find the True Zenith distance.
4. On 23rd Sept 2008, the sextant altitude of the Sun’s LL was 66° 10.6’. If IE was
2.8’ on the arc and HE was 10.5 m, find the True Zenith Distance.

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Position by Sights
Altitude Correction
 S

What is
True Altitude ? R
 Definitions of Important terms
• Sextant Altitude : is the altitude of a body, above the visible
horizon, as read off from the sextant
• Observed Altitude : of a celestial body is the angle at the
observer, between the body and the direction to the
observer’s visible or sea horizon
It is the Sextant altitude corrected for Index Error S

• Apparent Altitude : It is the altitude of CB above sensible

horizon of the observer
R
It is the sextant altitude corrected for IE and Dip.
• True Altitude: is the altitude of the CB measured at the
centre of the Earth and the Rational Horizon of the observer.
It is the Apparent altitude of the CB corrected for
Refraction, Semi-diameter and Parallax.
• True Zenith Distance : is angle at the centre of the earth
contained between the CB and the Zenith of the observer.
TZD = 90 – T. Alt
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 Definitions of Important terms
• DIP : is the angle at the observer between the
plane of observer’s sensible horizon and the
direction to his visible horizon.
• In other words it is the angle by which visible
horizon is dipped below sensible horizon. S

• Dip is always subtracted from Observed

altitude R

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 Refraction
(increases the apparent altitude, hence is always negative correction )
• Refraction is change of direction of the light when
it passes from a medium to another.
• Change is caused due to differing densities of the
different mediums which has an impact on speed
of light thru them.
• When light passes from rarer to denser medium,
it bends (refracts) towards normal at the
boundary between two surfaces.

• This phenomena causes the apparent altitude of

the CBs to be higher than actual (unless the CB is
at zenith in which case there is no refraction)

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 Semi-Diameter
• Half the visible diameter of the
Sun or Moon, expressed in
minutes of arc is called the Semi-
diameter (SD)
• We require the True altitude of
center of Sun (or Moon) for
celestial navigation calculations.
• However practically we observe
altitude of lower or upper limb
(due to ease of observation)
• To get altitude of center, SD must
be added in case of LL observation
and vice-versa

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Parallax

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 Horizontal Parallax
• Angle at the centre of the
celestial body, subtended by
the centre of the earth and
the observer located on the
earth’s surface, when the CB is
on the Observer’s sensible
horizon.

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 Numericals
5. Find the True Zenith distance of the Sun when the sextant altitude of the Sun’s
lower limb was 33° 41’ on 22 February 2008. IE= -2.2’, HE= 12m.
6. On 23rd August 2008, the sextant altitude of Sun’s LL was found to be 56°
19.8’. If index error was 2.8’ on the arc and Height of Eye was 31m, find the
True Zenith Distance of Sun?
7. On 1st Dec 2008, the sextant altitude of Sun’s UL was 19° 48.6’. If the Index
Error was 2.1’ on the arc and the H. E. was 19m, find the True Zenith distance
of Sun.
8. The sextant altitude of Sun’s LL on 31st Aug 1992 was 39° 15.0’ , index error of
sextant was 2.5 on the arc, Height of Eye 17 M. Find the True Zenith distance.

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 Earth
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One Observer on the Earth
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Celestial Sphere with the Observer’s Zenith
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……. With a Celestial Body
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 • Observer’s Rational Horizon is a
Rational great circle on the Celestial

Horizon Sphere, every point on which is 90

degrees away from his zenith

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….. Adding the Rational Horizon of the Observer
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 Zenith and Nadir
• The Observer’s Zenith is the point on the Celestial sphere vertically above the
Observer i.e. the point at which a straight line from the centre of the Earth
through the observer meets the celestial sphere.
• The Observer’s Nadir is the point on the celestial sphere vertically opposite his
Zenith (Diametrically opposite point to Zenith)
• These may be called as the Poles of Observer’s Rational Horizon

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 ….. Adding the Rational Horizon of the Observer
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 Altitude and
Azimuth of a CB
 Definitions
• Vertical Circle: it is a great circle passing through the zenith and nadir of an observer
• Prime Vertical circle: it is the vertical circle which passes through the East and West points of
the observer’s Rational Horizon
• Principal Vertical circle: it is the vertical circle which passes through the North and South points
of the observer’s Rational Horizon
• Azimuth: It is the arc of the Rational Horizon contained from the observer’s North to the vertical
circle of the body
Another view
Rational N

Horizon P
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Diagram
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Thank You
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