Scribd
Upload
14 views

Advanced Navigation-Cellestial Theory

This document provides an overview of celestial navigation concepts. It defines elements of the celestial sphere including the zenith, nadir, celestial poles, celestial equator, hour circles, celestial meridian, declination, and hour angles. It explains how the locations of stars are referenced by declination and sidereal hour angle, while the sun, moon, planets and First Point of Aries are referenced by declination and Greenwich hour angle. It also introduces the concept of diurnal motion and how hour angles change at a rate of 15 degrees per hour due to Earth's rotation. Finally, it defines elements of the horizon coordinate system including the observer's horizon, zenith, nadir, celestial horizon and altitude. It explains how

Uploaded by

ibrahim
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
14 views

Advanced Navigation-Cellestial Theory

This document provides an overview of celestial navigation concepts. It defines elements of the celestial sphere including the zenith, nadir, celestial poles, celestial equator, hour circles, celestial meridian, declination, and hour angles. It explains how the locations of stars are referenced by declination and sidereal hour angle, while the sun, moon, planets and First Point of Aries are referenced by declination and Greenwich hour angle. It also introduces the concept of diurnal motion and how hour angles change at a rate of 15 degrees per hour due to Earth's rotation. Finally, it defines elements of the horizon coordinate system including the observer's horizon, zenith, nadir, celestial horizon and altitude. It explains how

Uploaded by

ibrahim
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 54

Advanced Navigation

Celestial Theory
Objectives:
1. To become familiar with the relationships of
the earth to the solar system and the universe.

2. To become familiar with the celestial and


horizon coordinate systems, and how they
relate to the terrestrial coordinate system.

3. To gain a working knowledge of the celestial


and navigation triangles.
Objectives:
4. To become familiar with the concept
involved with a circle of equal altitude.
Elements of the
Celestial Sphere
THE CELESTIAL SPHERE

Infinite radius

An imaginary sphere of infinite radius with


the earth at it’s center.
Zenith - Nadir
Zenith - Point on the
celestial sphere
directly above the
observers head

Nadir - Point on the


celestial sphere
directly below the
observers feet
CELESTIAL BODIES

STARS
MOON

PLANETS
SUN

Celestial bodies are located throughout the celestial


sphere. We are interested in the relative positions and
motions of these bodies on this imaginary sphere.
CELESTIAL POLES
North Celestial Pole

South Celestial Pole


CELESTIAL EQUATOR

Also known as the EQUINOCTIAL. It’s the


intersection of the extended plane of the
equator and the celestial sphere.
HOUR CIRCLES

A great circle on the celestial sphere


perpendicular to the celestial equator and
passing through both celestial poles.
CELESTIAL MERIDIAN

A great circle of the celestial sphere, through


the celestial poles and the zenith.
DECLINATION

Celestial
Equator

Angular distance of a point on the celestial


sphere north or south of the celestial equator
Parallel of Declination:
Parallel of
Declination

A circle parallel to the celestial equator. Bodies are


considered to travel along the parallel of declination as
the earth rotates.
HOUR ANGLE
The angular distance measured laterally along
the celestial equator in a westerly direction
through 360º
The Sun at the time of the vernal equinox
seems to be located in the constellation
Aries: First Point of Aries

Aries
Ecliptic
Sidereal Hour Angle

SHA

SHA
SHA of A Star

SHA

SHA

Because stars and


Aries move at the
same rate, the SHA
is constant
GREENWICH HOUR ANGLE

GHA SUN

GHA

GHA
First meridian
GREENWICH HOUR ANGLE
GHA STAR

GHA = GHA + SHA

OF
ARIES

SHA
Local Hour Angles

LHA

LHA
LOCAL HOUR ANGLE
LHA

LHA

SHA
LHA = LHA + SHA
HOUR ANGLES
• Sidereal Hour Angle (SHA): Measured in a
westerly direction from the hour circle of
Aries to the hour circle of the body
• Greenwich Hour Angle (GHA): Angular
distance measured west of the Greenwich
Celestial Meridian.
• Local Hour Angle (LHA): Angular distance
west of the observers celestial meridian to
the body
Location on the Celestial Sphere

A point on the Celestial Sphere may be


identified at the intersection of:
* it’s parallel of declination (Declination)
* it’s hour circle identified by the angular
distance west (0º - 360º) of a reference hour
circle.
Location of Stars
The location of Stars are
referenced by their
Declination and Sidereal
Hour Angle.
The Location of Bodies

The location of the Sun,


Moon, planets and First point
of Aries are referenced by
their Declination and
Greenwich Hour Angle.
NOW LET’S
ADD
MOTION TO
THE SCENE
EARTH MOTION
DIURNAL MOTION

IT
APPEARS
TO BE
FROM
EAST TO
WEST
BECAUSE OF THE DIURNAL
MOTION (EARTH’S ROTATION)
• ALL THE CELESTIAL BODIES SEEM
TO MOVE AT ONE RATE,
THEREFORE THE GHA’s WILL
CHANGE AT ONE RATE AND THE
RATE IS:
• 15DEG -------1HR
• 360DEG ------24HRS
THE CELESTIAL
COORDINATE SYSTEM
DESCRIBES THE POSITION
OF CELESTIAL BODIES.
WE ALSO NEEDED A
SYSTEM FROM THE
OBSERVER’S
PERSPECTIVE
Elements of the
Horizon
Coordinate
System
OBSERVER’S HORIZON

the plane perpendicular to


that axis passing through
the observer.
ZENITH
HORIZON

NADIR
the projection of the poles
over the horizon will give us
the other coordinate -N-
ZENITH

OBS. HORIZON

NADIR
CELESTIAL HORIZON

Another plane parallel to


the observer’s horizon
but passing through the
center of the earth
ZENITH

HORIZON

CELESTIAL
HORIZON

NADIR
HORIZON
ZENITH

NADIR CELESTIAL
HORIZON
Observer’s
Horizon ZENITH

CELESTIAL
NADIR HORIZON
Since the radius of the earth is
considered negligible with
respect to the celestial sphere, the
visible horizon is considered to
be the same as the celestial
horizon.
ZENITH

CELESTIAL
HORIZON

NADIR
The angular distance above the
horizon that a celestial body is
measured is called that body’s
altitude.
CEL. BODY

OBSERVER’S
HORIZON

ALTITUDE
Sextant Angle (Hs): The altitude
measured by the sextant
Apparent altitude (Ha): The
Sextant Altitude corrected for
inaccuracies in the instrument
and height of eye
Observed altitude (Ho): All
further corrections are applied
ALTITUDE
VERTICAL
CIRCLE

CELESTIAL
HORIZON
A Vertical Circle is a great circle
on the celestial sphere that passes
through the zenith and nadir. It is
perpendicular to the celestial
(visible) horizon.
North Cardinal Point

The projection of the North


pole over the horizon that
we measure the true
azimuth
CEL. BODY

ALTITUDE -N-

TRUE AZIMUTH
The Principle Vertical Circle is a
vertical circle that passes through
the north and south celestial
poles.
TRUE AZIMUTH Z

ALTITUDE

PRINCIPAL
VERTICAL

CELESTIAL
HORIZON
THE PLACE WHERE A
LINE LINKING THE
CELESTIAL BODY
AND THE CENTER
OF THE EARTH

PUNCHES IT’S SURFACE


THE NAME OF
THAT POINT IS THE

GP
GEOGRAPHIC
POSITION
Questions?

You might also like