Starpath Celestial Navigation Work Forms: For All Sights and Tables, with Complete Instructions and Examples

by David Burch

Overview

Starpath work forms for sight reduction procedures in celestial navigation have been used by tens of thousands of navigators for over forty years. Designed to make the sight reduction of all celestial bodies flow in the same logical procedure that matches how data are presented in the Nautical Almanac and in the various sight reduction tables. There is always a place for adjusting angles to base values as needed, plus reminders on the signs of the values. Intermediate results are grouped for convenient entrance to the tables and for plotting the resulting lines of position.

Once a few examples have been worked, the forms alone guide you through the process. Even after being away from cel nav for long periods, the forms are a quick refresher that gets you back up to speed quickly.

Detailed instructions are included, with warnings about common errors. Forms included are:

Form 104 -- Sight reduction of all bodies using Pub 249 (Vols. 2 and 3) or Pub 229 (all volumes). The workhorse of the Starpath approach to celestial navigation

Form 111 -- Sight Reduction of stars using Pub 249 Vol.1 Selected Stars.

Form 106 -- Sight reduction of all bodies using the NAO Sight Reduction Tables included in the Nautical Almanac. This form is a unique tool that makes these tables (that every navigator has) as easy to use as any other method.

Form 108 -- A combination of Form 104 and Form 106 for those who choose the NAO Tables as standard,

Form 109 -- For completing multiple solar index corrections and averaging them. This is a high-accuracy method, praised since the formative days of celestial navigation in the late 1700s, but not used as often as it could be these days.

Forms 107, 110, and 117 cover latitude and longitude at noon as well as latitude by Polaris. These are basic procedures, but many new to cel nav find them helpful to get started... and they are instant refreshers after being away from the subjects for some time.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780914025627
Publisher:	Starpath Publications
Publication date:	10/04/2018
Pages:	86
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.18(d)

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

Overview of Starpath Work Forms........................................... 3

About this Booklet.................................................................... 3

Where to Download Free Forms.............................................. 3

Note to Ebook Readers............................................................. 3

INSTRUCTIONS

FORM 104 — All bodies, using Pub 249 or Pub 229................ 4

Sun Sights with Form 104................................................. 4

Moon Sights with Form 104.............................................. 6

Star Sights with Form 104................................................. 6

Planet Sights with Form 104............................................. 8

FORM 106 — All Bodies, Using NAO Tables........................... 9

FORM 108 — All Bodies, Almanac, and NAO Tables.............. 12

FORM 109 — Solar Index Correction....................................... 14

FORM 107 — Latitude at LAN.................................................. 16

FORM 110 — Latitude by Polaris.............................................. 16

FORM 117 — Lat, Lon at LAN plus Polaris............................... 16

FORM 111 — Pub 249, Vol. 1 Selected Stars............................. 20

FORMS

FORM 104 ................................................................................ 22

FORM 106 ................................................................................ 42

FORM 108 ................................................................................ 52

FORM 109 ................................................................................ 58

FORM 107 ................................................................................ 62

FORM 110 ................................................................................. 68

FORM 117 ................................................................................. 74

FORM 111 ................................................................................. 80