Capitol University

Cagayan de Oro City

COLLEGE OF MARITIME EDUCATION
NAV 004 CELESTIAL NAVIGATION
WEEK 2
Topic 2: Navigational Astronomy and Celestial Bodies Used in Navigation (PART B)

Competence A-II/1 F1.C1. Plan and conduct a passage and determine position

KUP A-II/1 F1.C1.KUP6: .2 ability to determine errors of the gyro and

magnetic compasses, using celestial means, and to allow for such
errors

Course Outcomes CO1: Determine compass error by observation of the

sun’s amplitude

Lesson Navigational Astronomy and Celestial Bodies Used in

Navigation (PART B)

ILO Determine the different celestial objects used in navigation

Learning Activities 1. The learner reads the given materials and watch
the supplementary videos on the link provided
2. The learners answer and pass the assessments given
by the instructor

Sources videos, power point/pdf slides

Introduction

Celestial Navigation - is the use of angular measurements (sights) between celestial

bodies and the visible horizon to locate one's position in the world, on land as well as at
sea. At a given time, any celestial body is located directly over one point on the Earth's
surface.

In celestial navigation, navigators determine the vessel position by observing the

celestial bodies. The apparent position of these bodies changes with time.
Therefore, determining the vessel position relies on timing the observation
exactly. Time is measured by the rotation of the earth and the resulting apparent
motions of the celestial bodies.
CELESTIAL BODIES USED IN CELESTIAL NAVIGATION
• Sun (1)
• Moon (1)
• Navigational Planet (4=Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn) •
Navigational Stars (57+Polatis=58)
Total: 64 Celestial Bodies:
Markab saddle (of Pegasus)
58 Navigational Stars are as follows: Menkar nose (of the whale)
Name Meaning Menkent shoulder of the centaur
Acamar another form of archer Miaplacidus quite or still waters
Achernar end of the river Mirfak elbow of the Pleiades
Acrux coined from bayer name Adhara Nunki constellation of the holy city (Eridu) Peacock
the virgin coined from English name of constellation Polaris the pole
Aldebaran follower star (North Pole) Pollux Zeus’ other twin son
Alioth another form of Capella Alkaid leader of (Castor, Geminorum, is first twin)
the daughter of the bier Alna’ir bright one Procyon before the dog (rising before the do star,
Alnilam string of pearls Sirius)
Alphard solitary star of the serpent Rasalhague head of the serpent charmer
Alphecca feeble one Regulus the prince
Alpheratz the horse’s navel Rigel foot (left foot of Orion)
Altair flying eagle or vulture Ankaa Rigil Kentaurus foot of the centaur
coined name Sabik second winner or conqueror Schedar the
Antares rival of Mars breast of Cassiopeia Shaula cocked-up part of the
Arcturus the bear’s guard scorpion’s tail Sirius the scorching one (popularly, the Dog
Atria coined from bayer name Avior Star) Spica the ear of corn

coined name Suhail shortened form of Al Suhail, one Arabic

Bellatrix Female warrior name for Canopus
Betelgeuse the arm of pit (of Orion) Vega the falling eagle or vulture Zubenelgenubi
Canopus city of ancient Egypt Capella southern claw (of the scorpion)
little she-goat
Deneb tail of the hen PLANETS
Denebola tail of the lion Mercury god of commerce and pain Venus
goddess of love
Diphda the second frog (Fomalhaut 1st) Dubhe
Earth the blue planet
the bear’s back
Mars god of war
Elnath one butting w/ horns Eltanin
Jupiter god of the heavens, identified with the
head of the dragon
Greek Zeus, chief of
Enif nose of the horse
the Olympian god
Fomalhaut mouth of the southern fish
Saturn god of seed-sowing
Gacrux coined from bayer name Gienah
Uranus the personification of heavens
right wing of the raven Hadar leg of the
Neptune god of the sea
centaur
Pluto god of the lower world “Hades” (now a
Hamal full-grown lamb
minor planet)
Kaus Australis southern part of the bow
Kockhab shorten form of the North Star
This category considers several different systems of measurement, each with a special
use. Before learning the various kinds of time, it is important to understand transit. The
observer’s position is in the upper branch. The lower branch is the opposite half. Every
day, because of the earth’s rotation, every celestial body transits the upper and lower
branches of the observer’s meridian. The first kind of time presented here is solar time.

Navigating with Sun, Moon and planets

Knowledge about the apparent movement of the Sun, Moon and planets across the
celestial sphere is important for wayfinding. You can estimate position and direction
by observing, for example, where the Sun is rising and setting according to the star
compass.

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The Sun’s path changes through the year

Over the course of a year, the path of the Sun appears to move on the celestial sphere
against the background of the fixed stars. Actually it’s the Earth orbiting around the Sun
rather than the Sun changing position, but the Sun appears to make a curving path that
passes through 12 constellations (collectively called the zodiac). The path it seems to
follow is called the ecliptic. From March to September, the Sun’s path appears to be north
of the celestial equator. From September to March, it appears to be south of the celestial
equator. The Sun crosses the celestial equator at spring and autumn.

The Sun’s rising and setting points change through the year

Because the position of the Sun in relation to the celestial equator changes over the year,
so do its rising and setting points on the horizon. At the spring and autumn equinoxes, the
Sun rises due east and sets due west.

At summer solstice – when the tilt of the Earth (23.5°) is most inclined towards the Sun –
the Sun in the southern hemisphere rises at ESE and sets at WSW. In the northern
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hemisphere, it rises at ENE and sets at WNW. This occurs between December 20–23 in
the southern hemisphere and June 20–21 in the northern hemisphere. This is when the
Sun is at its highest position in the sky.
Sun rising in the southern hemisphere

The Sun’s rising and setting points change throughout the year. In the spring and autumn
equinoxes, the Sun rises due east and sets due west. At summer solstice, the Sun rises
at ESE and sets at WSW and at winter solstice, it rises at ENE and sets at WNW.

At winter solstice, the Sun appears to have moved to the opposite side of the celestial
equator, with the Earth’s tilt now away from the Sun. In the southern hemisphere, the
Sun rises at ENE and sets at WNW. In the northern hemisphere, it rises at ESE and
sets at WSW.

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Observing the Sun

Observation of the Sun is done at sunrise and sunset. When the Sun is low on the
horizon, its path is narrow and obvious, but as it rises, it gets wider and wider. When it’s
too high, you can’t tell where it has risen from and have to use other clues for navigation,
such as the shape and direction of the waves.
Navigating with the Moon

The Moon rises about 48 minutes later each night at a different position on the eastern
horizon from where it rose the night before. Its rising point moves back and forth between
Kāinga Tokerau (ENE) and Kāinga Marangai (ESE) on the star compass. Its setting point
moves back and forth between Kāinga Whakararo (WNW) and Kāinga Whakarunga
(WSW).

Phases of the Moon

As the Moon orbits the Earth, its position changes on the celestial sphere just as the
Sun’s does. The Moon appears to travel a path similar to the Sun’s through the zodiac
constellations but takes only 29.5 days to complete. Its position varies up to 5° on either
side of the ecliptic. The amount of light you see (waxing and waning) on the Moon’s
surface depends on where the Moon is in relationship to the Sun and to you:

Moon phases

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The phases of the moon relate to the amount of light you see (waxing and waning) on the
Moon’s surface as it orbits the Earth. This image shows the moon phases – from the new
Moon to the full Moon– from the Southern Hemisphere.

This image is not to scale.

• When the Moon is on the same side of the sky as the Sun – between you and the
Sun – you see the unlit side of the Moon and it appears dark (new Moon). • When the
Moon moves away from the Sun, it gradually gains light (moving through the first
 quarter).
• When the moon is on the opposite side of the sky from the Sun and you are in
between, the Moon appears fully lit by the Sun (full Moon).
• When the Moon moves closer to the Sun again, it begins to lose its apparent fullness
(moving through the third quarter).

The Earth and the Moon orbiting the Sun – as seen in space. From the Earth, the Sun
appears to make a curving path that passes through the zodiac constellations.

Determining the Moon’s rising and setting points along with the rising and setting points of
the fixed stars allows the Moon to be used to give direction during the night. The line
separating light and dark in the Moon points approximately north and south since the
Moon is positioned east or west of the Sun as it arcs through the night sky.

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The planets
The inner four planets closest to the sun — Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars — are often
called the "terrestrial planets" because their surfaces are rocky. Pluto also has a rocky,
albeit frozen, surface but has never been grouped with the four terrestrials.

The four large outer worlds — Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune — are sometimes
called the Jovian or "Jupiter-like" planets because of their enormous size relative to the
terrestrial planets.
Mercury
Zipping around the sun in only 88 days, Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, and it's
also the smallest, only a little bit larger than Earth's moon. Because its so close to the sun
(about two-fifths the distance between Earth and the sun), Mercury experiences dramatic
changes in its day and night temperatures: Day temperatures can reach a scorching 840 F
(450 C), which is hot enough to melt lead. Meanwhile on the night side, temperatures
drop to minus 290 F (minus 180 C).
Mercury has a very thin atmosphere of oxygen, sodium, hydrogen, helium and potassium
and can't break-up incoming meteors, so its surface is pockmarked with craters, just like
the moon. Over its four-year mission, NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft revealed incredible
new discoveries that challenged astronomers' expectations. Among those findings was
the discovery of water ice and frozen organic compounds at Mercury's north pole and that
volcanism played a major role in shaping the planet's surface.

Venus
The second planet from the sun, Venus is Earth's twin in size. Radar images beneath its
atmosphere reveal that its surface has various mountains and volcanoes. But beyond
that, the two planets couldn't be more different. Because of its thick, toxic atmosphere
that's made of sulfuric acid clouds, Venus is an extreme example of the greenhouse
effect. It's scorching-hot, even hotter than Mercury. The average temperature on Venus'
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surface is 900 F (465 C). At 92 bar, the pressure at the surface would crush and kill you.
And oddly, Venus spins slowly from east to west, the opposite direction of most of the
other planets.
The Greeks believed Venus was two different objects — one in the morning sky and
another in the evening. Because it is often brighter than any other object in the sky, Venus
has generated many UFO reports.

Earth
The third planet from the sun, Earth is a waterworld, with two-thirds of the planet covered
by ocean. It's the only world known to harbor life. Earth's atmosphere is rich in nitrogen
and oxygen. Earth's surface rotates about its axis at 1,532 feet per second (467 meters
per second) — slightly more than 1,000 mph (1,600 kph) — at the equator. The planet
zips around the sun at more than 18 miles per second (29 km per second).

Mars
The fourth planet from the sun is Mars, and it's a cold, desert-like place covered in dust.
This dust is made of iron oxides, giving the planet its iconic red hue. Mars shares
similarities with Earth: It is rocky, has mountains, valleys and canyons, and storm systems
ranging from localized tornado-like dust devils to planet-engulfing dust storms.
Substantial scientific evidence suggests that Mars at one point billions of years ago was a
much warmer, wetter world. Rivers and maybe even oceans existed.
Jupiter
The fifth planet from the sun, Jupiter is a giant gas world that is the most massive planet
in our solar system — more than twice as massive as all the other planets combined,
according to NASA. Its swirling clouds are colorful due to different types of trace gases.
And a major feature in its swirling clouds is the Great Red Spot, a giant storm more than
10,000 miles wide. It has raged at more than 400 mph for the last 150 years, at least.
Jupiter has a strong magnetic field, and with 75 moons, it looks a bit like a miniature solar
system.
Saturn
The sixth planet from the sun, Saturn is known most for its rings. When polymath Galileo
Galilei first studied Saturn in the early 1600s, he thought it was an object with three parts:
a planet and two large moons on either side. Not knowing he was seeing a planet with
rings, the stumped astronomer entered a small drawing — a symbol with one large circle
and two smaller ones — in his notebook, as a noun in a sentence describing his
discovery. More than 40 years later, Christiaan Huygens proposed that they were rings. The
rings are made of ice and rock and scientists are not yet sure how they formed. The
gaseous planet is mostly hydrogen and helium and has numerous moons.

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Uranus
The seventh planet from the sun, Uranus is an oddball. It has clouds made of hydrogen
sulfide, the same chemical that makes rotten eggs smell so foul. It rotates from east to
west like Venus. But unlike Venus or any other planet, its equator is nearly at right angles
to its orbit — it basically orbits on its side. Astronomers believe an object twice the size of
Earth collided with Uranus roughly 4 billion years ago, causing Uranus to tilt. That tilt
causes extreme seasons that last 20-plus years, and the sun beats down on one pole or
the other for 84 Earth-years at a time.

The collision is also thought to have knocked rock and ice into Uranus' orbit. These later
became some of the planet's 27 moons. Methane in the atmosphere gives Uranus its blue
green tint. It also has 13 sets of faint rings.

Neptune
The eighth planet from the sun, Neptune is about the size of Uranus and is known for
supersonic strong winds. Neptune is far out and cold. The planet is more than 30 times as
far from the sun as Earth. Neptune was the first planet predicted to exist by using math,
before it was visually detected. Irregularities in the orbit of Uranus led French astronomer
Alexis Bouvard to suggest some other planet might be exerting a gravitational tug.
German astronomer Johann Galle used calculations to help find Neptune in a telescope.
Neptune is about 17 times as massive as Earth and has a rocky core.

Pluto (dwarf planet)

Once the ninth planet from the sun, Pluto is unlike other planets in many respects. It is
smaller than Earth's moon; its orbit is highly elliptical, falling inside Neptune's orbit at
some points and far beyond it at others; and Pluto's orbit doesn't fall on the same plane
as all the other planets — instead, it orbits 17.1 degrees above or below.

From 1979 until early 1999, Pluto had actually been the eighth planet from the sun. Then,
on Feb. 11, 1999, it crossed Neptune's path and once again became the solar system's
most distant planet — until it was redefined as a dwarf planet. It's a cold, rocky world with
a tenuous atmosphere. Scientists thought it might be nothing more than a hunk of rock on
the outskirts of the solar system. But when NASA's New Horizons mission performed
history's first flyby of the Pluto system on July 14, 2015, it transformed scientists' view of
Pluto. Pluto is a very active ice world that's covered in glaciers, mountains of ice water,
icy dunes and possibly even cryovolcanoes that erupt icy lava made of water, methane or
ammonia.

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Planet Nine

In 2016, researchers proposed the possible existence of a ninth planet, for now dubbed
"Planet Nine" or Planet X. The planet is estimated to be about 10 times the mass of Earth
and to orbit the sun between 300 and 1,000 times farther than the orbit of the Earth.
Scientists have not actually seen Planet Nine. They inferred its existence by its
gravitational effects on other objects in the Kuiper Belt, a region at the fringe of the solar
system that is home to icy rocks left over from the birth of the solar system. Also called
trans-Neptunian objects, these Kuiper Belt objects have highly elliptical or oval orbits that
align in the same direction.

Stars
For sailors, celestial navigation is a step up from dead reckoning. This technique uses the
stars, moon, sun, and horizon to calculate position. It is very useful on the open ocean,
where there are no landmarks.

Navigators must be familiar with the different constellations at different times of the year,
as well as the different constellations in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The
most familiar constellation in the Southern Hemisphere, for instance, is the Southern
Cross. The stars in this constellation are never visible in the Northern Hemisphere above
the tropics. The Big Dipper, a familiar constellation in the Northern Hemisphere, is not
visible in the Southern Hemisphere.

Navigators using this method need a tool such as a sextant to measure the angle
between objects in the sky and the horizon. They also need an accurate clock and an
almanac giving the positions of celestial bodies.

NASA and other space agencies continue to use sophisticated celestial navigation for
many of their missions outside the Earth atmosphere. The astronauts and engineers of
the Apollo program used celestial navigation to chart their way to the moon and back. The
Mars Exploration Rover also uses celestial navigation to communicate information back to
engineers and researchers on Earth.

Supplementary videos to be watched by the students to enhance

learning [Link]

[Link]

[Link]

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References:

-Learning modules
-Publications
-Multimedia presentation
[Link]

[Link]

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[Link]

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