CHAPTER 17

AZIMUTHS AND AMPLITUDES

INTRODUCTION

1700. Compass Checks measured and calculated azimuths and amplitudes of celes-
tial bodies. The difference between the calculated value and
At sea, the mariner is constantly concerned about the ac- the value determined by gyro measurement is gyro error.
curacy of the gyro compass. There are several ways to check This chapter discusses these procedures.
the accuracy of the gyro. He can, for example, compare it Theoretically, these procedures work with any celestial
with an accurate electronic navigator such as an inertial nav- body. However, the sun and Polaris are used most often
igaton system. Lacking a sophisticated electronic navigation when measuring azimuths, and the sun when measuring
suite, he can use the celestial techniques of comparing the amplitudes.

AZIMUTHS

1701. Compass Error By Azimuth Of The Sun pending upon whether the actual LHA is greater or
less than the base argument. Record the Z Diff. for
Mariners use Pub 229, Sight Reduction Tables for Ma- the increment of LHA.
rine Navigation to compute the sun’s azimuth. They 5. Correct the base azimuth angle for each
compare the computed azimuth to the azimuth measured increment.
with the compass to determine compass error. In computing
an azimuth, interpolate the tabular azimuth angle for the Example:
difference between the table arguments and the actual val- In DR latitude 33° 24.0'N, the azimuth of the sun is 096.5°
ues of declination, latitude, and local hour angle. Do this pgc. At the time of the observation, the declination of the sun is
triple interpolation of the azimuth angle as follows: 20° 13.8'N; the local hour angle of the sun is 316° 41.2'. De-
termine compass error.
1. Enter the Sight Reduction Tables with the nearest
integral values of declination, latitude, and local Solution:
hour angle. For each of these arguments, extract a See Figure 1701 Enter the actual value of declination,
base azimuth angle. DR latitude, and LHA. Round each argument to the nearest
2. Reenter the tables with the same latitude and LHA whole degree. In this case, round the declination and the lat-
arguments but with the declination argument 1° itude down to the nearest whole degree. Round the LHA up
greater or less than the base declination argument, to the nearest whole degree. Enter the Sight Reduction Ta-
depending upon whether the actual declination is bles with these whole degree arguments and extract the base
greater or less than the base argument. Record the azimuth value for these rounded off arguments. Record the
difference between the respondent azimuth angle base azimuth value in the table.
and the base azimuth angle and label it as the azi- As the first step in the triple interpolation process, in-
muth angle difference (Z Diff.). crease the value of declination by 1° to 21° because the actual
3. Reenter the tables with the base declination and declination value was greater than the base declination. Enter
LHA arguments, but with the latitude argument 1° the Sight Reduction Tables with the following arguments: (1)
greater or less than the base latitude argument, de- Declination = 21°; (2) DR Latitude = 33°; (3) LHA = 317°.
pending upon whether the actual (usually DR) Record the tabulated azimuth for these arguments.
latitude is greater or less than the base argument. As the second step in the triple interpolation process,
Record the Z Diff. for the increment of latitude. increase the value of latitude by 1° to 34° because the actu-
4. Reenter the tables with the base declination and lat- al DR latitude was greater than the base latitude. Enter the
itude arguments, but with the LHA argument 1° Sight Reduction Tables with the following arguments: (1)
greater or less than the base LHA argument, de- Declination = 20°; (2) DR Latitude = 34°; (3) LHA = 317°.

283
284 AZIMUTHS AND AMPLITUDES

Base Base Tab* Correction

Actual Arguments Z Z Z Diff. Increments (Z Diff x Inc.÷ 60)
Dec. 20˚13.8' N 20˚ 97.8˚ 96.4˚ –1.4˚ 13.8' –0.3˚
DR Lar. 33˚24.0' N 33˚(Same) 97.8˚ 98.9˚ +1.1˚ 24.0' +0.4˚
LHA 316˚41.2' 317˚ 97.8˚ 97.1˚ – 0.7˚ 18.8' –0.2˚
Base Z 97.8˚ Total Corr. –0.1˚
Corr. (–) 0.1˚
Z N 97.7˚ E *Respondent for the two base arguments and 1˚
Zn 097.7˚ change from third base argument, in vertical
Zn pgc 096.5˚ order of Dec., DR Lat., and LHA.
Gyro Error 1.2˚ E

Figure 1701. Azimuth by Pub. No. 229.

Record the tabulated azimuth for these arguments. Next, determine the increment for each argument by
As the third and final step in the triple interpolation taking the difference between the actual values of each ar-
process, decrease the value of LHA to 316° because the ac- gument and the base argument. Calculate the correction for
tual LHA value was smaller than the base LHA. Enter the each of the three argument interpolations by multiplying
Sight Reduction Tables with the following arguments: (1) the increment by the Z difference and dividing the resulting
Declination = 20°; (2) DR Latitude = 33°; (3) LHA = 316°. product by 60.
Record the tabulated azimuth for these arguments. The sign of each correction is the same as the sign of the
Calculate the Z Difference by subtracting the base az- corresponding Z difference used to calculate it. In the above
imuth from the tabulated azimuth. Be careful to carry the example, the total correction sums to -0.1'. Apply this value
correct sign. to the base azimuth of 97.8° to obtain the true azimuth 97.7°.
Compare this to the compass reading of 096.5° pgc. The
Z Difference = Tab Z - Base Z compass error is 1.2°E.

AZIMUTH OF POLARIS

1702. Compass Error By Azimuth Of Polaris Longitude 045° 00.0'W

LHA Aries 161° 25.4'
The Polaris tables in the Nautical Almanac list the azi-
muth of Polaris for latitudes between the equator and 65° N. Solution:
Figure 2011 in Chapter 20 shows this table. Compare a Enter the azimuth section of the Polaris table with the
compass bearing of Polaris to the tabular value of Polaris to calculated LHA of Aries. In this case, go to the column for
determine compass error. The entering arguments for the LHA Aries between 160° and 169°. Follow that column
table are LHA of Aries and observer latitude. down and extract the value for the given latitude. Since the
increment between tabulated values is so small, visual in-
Example: terpolation is sufficient. In this case, the azimuth for
On March 17, 1994, at L 33° 15.0' N and 045° 00.0'W, Polaris for the given LHA of Aries and the given latitude
at 02-00-00 GMT, Polaris bears 358.6°T by compass. Cal- is 359.3°.
culate the compass error.
Date 17 March 1994 Tabulated Azimuth 359.3°T
Time (GMT) 02-00-00 Compass Bearing 358.6°T
GHA Aries 204° 25.4' Error 0.7°E

AMPLITUDES

1703. Amplitudes observer’s horizon intersects the celestial equator. See Fig-
ure 1703.
A celestial body’s amplitude is the arc between the Calculate an amplitude after observing a body on either
observed body on the horizon and the point where the the celestial or visual horizon. Compare a body’s measured
 AZIMUTHS AND AMPLITUDES 285

rection from the observed amplitude.

The following two sections demonstrate the procedure
for obtaining the amplitude of the sun on both the celestial
and visible horizons.

1704. Amplitude Of The Sun On The Celestial Horizon

Example:
The DR latitude of a ship is 51° 24.6' N. The navigator
observes the setting sun on the celestial horizon. Its decli-
nation is N 19° 40.4'. Its observed amplitude is W 32.9° N.
(32.9° “north of west,” or 302.9°).

Required:
Compass error.

Solution:
Interpolate in Table 22 for the sun’s calculated ampli-
tude as follows. See Figure 1704. The actual values for
latitude and declination are L = 51.4° N and dec. = N 19.67°.
Find the tabulated values of latitude and declination closest
to these actual values. In this case, these tabulated values are
Figure 1703. The amplitude is the arc (A) between the L = 51° and dec. = 19.5°. Record the amplitude correspond-
observed body on the horizon and the point where the ing to these base values, 32.0°, as the base amplitude.
observer’s horizon intersects the celestial equator. Next, holding the base declination value constant at
19.5°, increase the value of latitude to the next tabulated
amplitude with an amplitude extracted from the Amplitude value: N 52°. Note that this value of latitude was increased
table. The difference between the two values represents because the actual latitude value was greater than the base
compass error. value of latitude. Record the tabulated amplitude for L =
Give amplitudes the suffix N if the body from which it 52° and dec. = 19.5°: 32.8°. Then, holding the base latitude
was determined has a northern declination and S if it has a value constant at 51°, increase the declination value to the
southern declination. Give the amplitudes the prefix E if the next tabulated value: 20°. Record the tabulated amplitude
body is rising and W if the body is setting. for L = 51° and dec. = 20°: 32.9°.
The values in the Amplitude table assume that the body The latitude’s actual value (51.4°) is 0.4 of the way be-
is on the celestial horizon. The sun is on the celestial hori- tween the base value (51°) and the value used to determine
zon when its lower limb is about two-thirds of a diameter the tabulated amplitude (52°). The declination’s actual val-
above the visible horizon. The moon is on the celestial ho- ue (19.67°) is 0.3 of the way between the base value (19.5°)
rizon when its upper limb is on the visible horizon. Planets and the value used to determine the tabulated amplitude
and stars are on the celestial horizon when they are approx- (20.0°). To determine the total correction to base ampli-
imately one sun diameter above the visible horizon. tude, multiply these increments (0.4 and 0.3) by the
When using a body on the visible, not celestial, hori- respective difference between the base and tabulated values
zon, correct the observed amplitude from Table 23 Apply (+0.8 and +0.9, respectively) and sum the products. The to-
this table’s correction to the observed amplitude and not to tal correction is +0.6°. Add the total correction (+0.6°) to
the amplitude extracted from the Amplitude table. For the the base amplitude (32.0°) to determine the final amplitude
sun, a planet, or a star, apply this correction to the observed (32.6°).
amplitude in the direction away from the elevated pole. If
using the moon, apply one-half of the Table 23 correction Calculate the gyro error as follows:
in the direction towards the elevated pole. Amplitude (observed) pgc = W 32.9° N
Navigators most often use the sun when determining Amplitude (from Table 22) = W 32.6° N
amplitudes. The rule for applying the Table 23 corrections Compass Error 0.3°W
to a sun’s observed amplitude is summarized as follows. If
the DR latitude is north and the sun is rising, or if the DR 1705. Amplitude Of The Sun On The Visible Horizon
latitude is south and the sun is setting, add the Table 23 cor-
rection to the observed amplitude. Conversely, if the DR Example:
latitude is north and the sun is setting, or the DR latitude is The same problem as section 1704, except that the sun
south and the sun is rising, then subtract the Table 23 cor- is setting on the visible horizon.
286 AZIMUTHS AND AMPLITUDES

Required:
– 1 sin d
Compass error. Amplitude = sin ---------------
cos L
Solution:
Interpolate in Table 23 to determine the correction for where d = celestial body’s declination and L = observ-
the sun on the visible horizon as follows. See Figure 1705.. er’s latitude.
Choose as base values of latitude and declination the tabu-
lar values of latitude and declination closest to the actual b) Body on the visible horizon:
values. In this case, these tabulated values are L = 51° N
and dec. = 20°. Record the correction corresponding to
– 1 sin d – sin L sin h
these base values, 1.1°, as the base correction. Amplitude = sin -------------------------------------------
Completing the interpolation procedure indicates that cos L cos h
the base correction (1.1°) is the actual correction.
Apply this correction in accordance with the rules dis- where d = celestial body’s declination, L = observer’s
cussed in section 1703. Since the vessel’s latitude was north latitude, and h = – 0.7°.
and the sun was setting, subtract the correction from the
observed amplitude. The observed amplitude was W 32.9 N. Using the same example as in section 1704, d =
Subtracting the 1.1° correction yields a corrected observed 19.67° N and L = N 51.4°. If the sun is on the celestial ho-
amplitude of W 31.8° N. From section 1704, the tabular rizon, its amplitude is:
amplitude was W 32.6° N.
Calculate the gyro error as follows: – 1 sin 19.67°
Amplitude (from Table 22) = W 32.6° N Amplitude = sin ------------------------ = W 32.6° N.
Amplitude (observed) = W 31.8° N cos 51.4°
Compass Error 0.8° E
If the sun is on the visible horizon, its amplitude is:
1706. Amplitude By Calculation
– 1 sin 19.67° – sin 51.4° sin – 0.7°
As an alternative to using Table 22 and Table 23, use Amplitude = sin -------------------------------------------------------------------------
cos 51.4° cos – 0.7°
the following formulas to calculate amplitudes:

a) Body on the celestial horizon: =W 33.7° N

Actual Base Base Amp. Tab. Amp. Diff. Inc. Correction

L=51.4°N 51° 32.0° 32.8° +0.8° 0.4 +0.3°
dec=19.67°N 19.5° 32.0° 32.9° +0.9° 0.3 +0.3°

Total +0.6°

Figure 1704. Interpolation in Table 22 for Amplitude.

Actual Base Base Corr. Tab. Corr. Diff. Inc. Correction

L=51.4°N 51° 1.1° 1.1° 0.0° 0.4 0.0°
dec=19.67°N 20° 1.1° 1.0° -0.1° 0.2 0.0°

Figure 1705. Interpolation in Table 23 for Amplitude Correction.