Book Description

"A practical, convenient, and economical solution for the mariner who wants a backup system to GPS that contains all the essential instructions and data."—Foundation for the Art of Navigation Your All-in-One Navigation Tool Kit Celestial navigation remains an essential skill for every mariner who ventures out of sight of land. In this era of electronic navigation, it is the perfect backup system, enabling you to determine your position when the GPS malfunctions or your boat loses electrical power. Here in one volume is every bit of information you need to understand the process, take sights, and find your location anywhere in the world. Compiled for beginning and experienced celestial navigators alike, and elegantly designed on the assumption that 1-mile precision is perfectly adequate for backup navigation, this handy volume replaces $300 worth and thousands of pages of guides, tables, and almanacs. The Complete On-Board Celestial Navigator includes: A clear, concise primer/refresher that explains the entire process A five-year nautical almanac (2007–2011) for determining precise star, sun, moon, and planet locations at the time of sighting A star finder Sight reduction tables for crunching the numbers and producing a fix anywhere in the world "The only complete self-contained work available. When your electronic navigation fails, 'steering by the stars' will guide you safely to your destination."—Sydney Afloat (Australia) George G. Bennett, Ph.D., is the owner and director of CN Systems, which produces navigational calculator and computer software. He is the former head of the School of Surveying, Faculty of Engineering, at the University of New South Wales. An elected Fellow of the Institution of Surveyors and the Institute of Navigation, he has served as a visiting scientist at Her Majesty's Nautical Almanac Office at the Royal Observatory.