Myanmar Maritime University

Nautical Science Department

MMU 21st batch

Third Year, First Semester
Group – 7
RATIONAL SYSTEM (Navigation)

Sr. No. Roll No. Name

1. NS - 7 Mg Myat Thura Soe
2. NS - 17 Khun Sone Phyo
3. NS - 27 Mg Soe Nyein Naing
4. NS - 37 Mg Min Zarni Phone
5. NS - 47 Mg Phone Myat Thu
6. NS - 57 Mg Thiha Zaw
 Team Nautical Seven

MYANMAR MARITIME UNIVERSITY

NAUTICAL SCIENCE NS 2003

Content
1. Navigation
2. Types of Horizons

i. Introduction to RATIONAL SYSTEM

3. True altitude

ii. Zenith & Nadir

4. Azimuth
5. Amplitude
6. Importance of Azimuth and Amplitude
7. PZX triangle
8. Circumpolar body
9. RATIONAL SYSTEM related to Navigation
10. Advantages of Rational System
11. Limitation of Rational System
12. Difference between Sensible and Rational horizon

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 Team Nautical Seven

Chapter 1
Navigation

What is Navigation?
➢ determining the current position
➢ choosing the best route
➢ following it to reach the destination.

Types of Navigation
1. Land Navigation
2. Marine Navigation
3. Air Navigation
4. Space Navigation

Earth Rotation
Earth rotates around its axis approximately every 24 hours, leading
to the cycle of day and night. This rotation causes celestial objects to
appear to move across the sky from east to west.

Rotation & Revolution

"Rotation" refers to an object's spinning motion about its own axis.
"Revolution" refers the object's orbital motion around another object.
For example, Earth rotates on its own axis, producing the 24-hour day.
Earth revolves about the Sun, producing the 365-day year.

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Chapter-2
Types of Horizons

Horizon: The apparent line where the Earth’s surface and the sky seem
to meet. [The range of vision is limited by the curvature of the earth.]
The word horizon derives from the Greek ὁρίζων κύκλος (horízōn
kýklos) 'separating circle'.

3 Types of Horizon
a) Visible Horizon
b) Sensible Horizon
c) Rational Horizon

Visible Horizon (apparent horizon)

a small circle on the earth’s surface which bounds on observer’s view in
the open sea.
{The line where the Earth’s surface visibly intersects the sky.}
-Used in sextant

Sensible Horizon (Astronomical horizon)

a small circle on the celestial sphere which is parallel to the rational
horizon and whose plane pass through the observer’s eye.
(It also is known as Limitless plane)

pg. 4
 Team Nautical Seven

Rational Horizon (celestial horizon)

a great circle on the celestial sphere, every points on which is 90 degrees
away from the observer’s zenith.
{An imaginary plane passing through the Earth’s center, parallel to the
sensible horizon.}

Figure (1.1) Illustration of Visible Horizon, Sensible Horizon, and

Rational Horizon

O= observer’s position
S’OS= Sensible Horizon
V’V= Visible Horizon
R’CR= Rational Horizon
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Chapter-3
True altitude

True altitude is the angular height of a celestial object above the

rational horizon.
It is measured in degrees from the rational horizon to the object along a
vertical circle passing through the object and the zenith.

Sextant altitude - altitude measured with sextant

index error off the arc [ true image will be greater than apparent image] IE +
on the arc [ true image will be less than apparent image] IE -
______________________________________________________
Observed altitude - altitude of the body above the visible horizon.
Dip - to correct between visible and sensible horizon.
[always negative]
______________________________________________________
Apparent altitude - altitude of the body’s center above the sensible
horizon.
Total correction - due to Refraction, Semi-Diameter and Parallax
- +/- +
______________________________________________________
True altitude an angle at the center of the earth between the
direction of the center of the celestial body and
the rational horizon.

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 Team Nautical Seven

Refraction, Semi-Diameter and Parallax

Refraction
If a ray of light passes through substances or media of different
densities, the ray is bent or refracted. The rule in optics states that if a
ray of light passes to a denser medium it is refracted towards the normal.
[always -]

Semi-diameter
The sun and moon do not appear as points but as bodies with an
appreciable diameter.
The altitude of the lower or upper edge is measured with the sextant and
to find the altitude of the center, semi-diameter must be added or
subtracted.
The value of sun and moon’s semi-diameters are given in the Nautical
Almanac for each day.
➢ must be added to a Lower lamb
➢ must be subtracted from an upper limb

Parallax
Parallax is the angle subtended at the body center between the
observer and the earth center.
Parallax correction is always added to the apparent altitude to get the
true altitude.

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 Team Nautical Seven

Zenith
The point directly above an observer on the celestial sphere.
Always located 90 degrees above the observer’s horizon.
[ Used as a reference point in the horizontal coordinate system to
measure the altitude of celestial objects.]
Nadir
The point directly opposite the zenith, beneath the observer.
Located 180 degrees opposite the zenith, directly beneath the observer.
Zenith Distance = 90-T.alt
Vertical Circle
It is a great circle on celestial sphere which passing through the
zenith and nadir. It is perpendicular to the Rational horizon.
Prime Vertical
It is a vertical circle passing through East, West, and Zenith. It is
perpendicular to the observer’s meridian.

Figure (3.1) : Zenith, Nadar, Vertical Circle and Prime Vertical

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 Team Nautical Seven

Chapter-4
Azimuth
What is azimuth?
It is the angle at the zenith between the observer’s meridian at the pole
and the vertical circle through the celestial body.
In other word, it is the bearing line seen when looking at the celestial
body. It is measured and expressed in degree from truth north.
It comes from the Arabic word al-sumut, which means "all directions".
And first appeared in English in the late 14th century.
Amplitude
It is the angle at the observer’s zenith between the prime vertical and the
vertical circle passing through the body.
We take this measurement during sunrise and sunset.
It helps us correct the compass error and we are on the right track.
If the celestial body is setting, the name is east and when the body is
rising, the name is west. N or S depend on declination of the body.

pg. 9 Figure (4.1) Diagram of azimuth

 Team Nautical Seven

Importance of Azimuth and Amplitude

It is used for determining direction and compass error in navigation.
For example, a ship's master can use them to determine how far the
magnetic compass varies from true north.

We can calculate following,

For Azimuth
Step 1. Time check (GMT)
Step 2. LHA (local hour angle) & declination
Step 3. True azimuth (using ABC Method)
Step 4. Compass error

For Amplitude
Step 1. Time check (GMT)
Step 2. declination
Step 3. True amplitude
[sin(amplitude) = sin(declination)/cos(latitude)]
Step 4. Compass error

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Chapter-5
PZX triangle
PZX triangle
It is the spherical triangle used in astronavigation to determine the
observer’s position on the earth.
PZX triangle is made up of three reference points on the celestial sphere.
P = celestial pole
Z = zenith
X = position of the celestial body on the celestial sphere.
The PZX triangle is a fundamental concept in navigation, particularly
when using triangulation methods to determine one's position.

What is the PZX Triangle in Navigation?

In navigational triangulation, the PZX triangle involves three key points:

1. P: Position (Observer’s position or the point whose location is

being determined).
2. Z: A known point (often called a landmark or reference point),
like a lighthouse, buoy, or a fixed landmark whose location is
known.
3. X: The target point (could be another known point, such as
another landmark or a celestial body like the sun or a star, if using
celestial navigation).

Can use angles or distances between these points to pinpoint the

observer's position.

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A PZX triangle, being a triangle, possesses three sides and three angles.
The three angles of the triangle are:
PX- a polar distance of the body from the pole. i.e., 90-declination
PZ- the angular distance of the observer from the pole, i.e., the co-lat., i.e.,
90°- latitude
ZX- the angular distance of the observer's zenith from the body, i.e., the
zenith distance, i.e., 90°- altitude.

The three angles of the triangle are:

∠P-the angle between the observer's meridian and the meridian of the
body (see definition of L.H.A.). Angle P is equal to the L.H.A. when the
body is setting and is equal to 360° - L.H.A. when the body is rising.
∠Z-the angle between the direction of the meridian and that of the body,
i.e., the azimuth.
∠X the parallactic angle. Is not used in the normal reduction of sights.
Triangle is usually represented by a figure on the plane of zenith.

Figure (5.1) Illustration of PZX triangle

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 Team Nautical Seven

PZX triangle used to calculate the following

• True azimuth and altitude
• Declination and latitude
• Direction of the PL
• Identifying unknown star

To find azimuth
∠PZX = azimuth
To find Altitude
Alt = 90-ZX
To find declination
Declination = 90-PX
To find latitude
Latitude = 90-PZ

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 Team Nautical Seven

Chapter-6
Circumpolar Body

Circumpolar Body
The body is said to be a circumpolar body, which is always
above the observer's horizon, the circle of declination lies above
the rational horizon and no rising or setting.
The body is said to be a circumpolar body,
(i) Declination of the body must be same name as latitude of observer.
(ii) Polar distance (PX) must be less than or equal to latitude.
(iii) PX = 90° - Declination.
Circumpolar body is visible above the horizon for the full 24 hr.
For example, Pole star is always in the same place, the north pole. So,
there is on sitting or rising.
How to apply circumpolar body in practical
To find Declination of body and latitude of observer.
Calculation
For dec,
If lower transit & upper transit are same name,
(True altitude at Upper Transit − True altitude at Lower Transit)
PX = .
2

lower transit & upper transit are different name,

180−(True altitude at Upper Transit + True altitude at Lower Transit)
PX = .
2

Dec=90-PX
For latitude,
Lat=PX + True altitude at Lower Transit

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 Team Nautical Seven

Puzzles

Beyond astronomy, how is the Rational Horizon relevant to navigation?

i. It helps sailors determine their longitude in their way.

ii. It helps sailors determine their latitude using the altitude of stars.
iii. It is used to measure the speed of ships in sailing.
iv. It is not relevant to navigation.

Wayfinding basics in navigation

Before the invention of the compass, sextant and clocks, the Global
Positioning System (GPS), Instead, clues about position, direction, and
distance came from the stars, sun, and moon.

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 Team Nautical Seven

Chapter-7
Advantages of Rational System and Limitation
The rational horizon is used as a reference for measuring a star's altitude
(its angle above the horizon) and azimuth (its direction along the
horizon).
Unlike the visible horizon, which can change depending on where you are
or how high above sea level you stand,
The rational horizon stays the same because it is based on an imaginary
flat plane through the center of the Earth. This makes it reliable reference
for accurately measuring the positions of stars.

Correcting Observational Errors

When stars are observed near the visible horizon, atmospheric

refraction can distort their true altitude. By using the rational horizon as
a reference plane, navigators correct for this distortion, ensuring more
accurate positional fixes.

Surveying
Determining the relative positions of objects or points on the earth's
surface Rational horizon in geodetic surveying, where precision is
required over large distances.
Amplitude and azimuth are applied in land surveying
Measuring Tools: Theodolite, GPS Devices, drone
Satellite Tracking-Astronomical Observatories

Rockets, Satellites, and Spacecraft are designed using Rational

engineering systems
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 Team Nautical Seven

Limitation of Rational System

• Lack of Flexibility: Difficulty adapting to rapid changes or
unexpected situations

• Time-Consuming: Rigid processes and data analysis may delay

decisions during emergencies

• Over-Reliance on Data: Incomplete, not up to dated, or inaccurate

data can lead to poor decisions

Extra Exercise
Difference between Sensible and Rational horizon

Feature Sensible Horizon Rational Horizon

Tangent to the Earth's surface Passes through the center of

Location
at the observer's eye the Earth

Visible as the line where the Not visible; an abstract,

Visibility
sky meets the ground or sea theoretical plane

Used for large-scale or precise

Used for short-distance
Use geodetic and astronomical
surveying or navigation
work

Not affected by the curvature;

Impact of Affected by the Earth's
accounts for the Earth's
Curvature curvature, limiting its range
spherical shape

pg. 17