The Nautical Almanac

The free online Nautical Almanac
The world's most complete source of free celestial navigation information

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2024

AN EPITOME OF NAVIGATION

ORIGINALLY BY

NATHANIEL BOWDITCH, LL.D.

Click here to download American Practical Navigator Volume 1 (174 MB)

Part 1- Fundamentals <----download Part 1 chapters 1-7

Chapter 1- Introduction To Marine Navigation

Chapter 2- Geodesy and Datums In Navigation

Chapter 3- Navigational Errors

Chapter 4- Hydrography

Chapter 5- Nautical Charts

Chapter 6- ECDIS: Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems

Chapter 7- Nautical Publications

Part 2- Piloting <----download Part 2 chapters 8-13

Part 3- Celestial Navigation <----download Part 3 chapters 14-20

Chapter 14- Navigational Astronomy

Part 4- Inertial Navigation<----download Part 4 chapter 21

Part 5- Radio Frequency (RF) Navigation Techniques<----download Part 5 chapters 22-25

Part 7-  Navigational Safety  <----download Part 7 chapters 28-32

Chapter 28- Navigation Processes

Chapter 29- Emergency Navigation

Chapter 30- Navigation Regulations

Chapter 31- Maritime Safety Systems

Chapter 32- Reporting

Chapter 34-Polar Navigation

American Practical Navigator
Volume 2

Front Matter

Table Of Contents

Part 1

Useful Tables

Explanation Of Navigation Tables<-------download Explanation of Navigation Tables

Mathematical Tables <----download Tables 1-4

Table 1 Logarithms Of Number

Table 2 Natural Trigonometric Functions

Table 3 Common Logarithms Of Trigonometric Function (Offset +10)

Table 4 Traverse

Cartographic Tables <-------download all Cartographic Tables

Table 5 Natural And Numerical Chart Scales

Table 6 Meridional Parts

Table 7 Length Of A Degree Of Latitude And Longitude

Piloting Tables <-------download all Piloting Tables 8-18

Table 8 Conversion Table For Meters, Feet, And Fathoms

Table 9 Conversion Table For Nautical And Statute Miles

Table 10 Speed Table For Measured Mile

Table 11 Speed, Time, And Distance

Table 12 Distance Of The Horizon

Table 13 Geographic Range

Table 14 Dip Of The Sea Short Of The Horizon

Table 15 Distance By Vertical Angle Measured Between Sea Horizon And Top Of Object Beyond Sea Horizon

Table 16 Distance By Vertical Angle Measured Between Waterline At Object And Top Of Object

Table 17 Distance By Vertical Angle Measured Between Waterline At Object  And Sea Horizon Beyond Object

Table 18 Distance Of An Object By Two Bearings

Celestial Navigation Tables <-------download all Celestial Navigation Tables 19-28

Table 19 Table Of Offsets

Table 20 Meridian Angle And Altitude Of A Body On The Prime Vertical Circle

Table 21 Latitude And Longitude Factors

Table 22 Amplitudes

Table 23 Correction Of Amplitude As Observed On The Visible Horizon

Table 24 Altitude Factor

Table 25 Change Of Altitude In Given Time From Meridian Transit

Table 26 Time Zones, Zone Descriptions, And Suffixes

Table 27 Altitude Correction For Air Temperature

Table 28 Altitude Correction For Atmospheric Pressure

Meteorological Tables <-------download all Meteorological Tables 29-37

Table 29 Conversion Tables For Thermometer Scales

Table 30 Direction And Speed Of True Wind In Units Of Ship's Speed

Table 31 Correction Of Barometer Reading For Height Above Sea Level

Table 32 Correction Of Barometer Reading For Gravity

Table 33 Correction Of Barometer Reading For Temperature

Table 34 Conversion Table For Hecto-Pascals (Millibars), Inches Of Mercury, And Millimeters Of Mercury

Table 35 Relative Humidity

Table 36 Dew Point

Table 37 Haversines

Part 2

Calculations For Navigation <-------download all Calculations For Navigation Chapters 1-11

Chapter 1 Mathematics

Chapter 2 Interpolation

Chapter 3 Time Measurements And Conversions

Chapter 4 Compass Error

Chapter 5 Distance Calculations

Chapter 6 Sextant Altitude Corrections

Chapter 7 Calculations Of Celestial Navigation

Chapter 8 Sight Reduction

Chapter 9 The Sailings

Chapter 10 Predicted Visual Ranges Of Lights

Chapter 11 Tide And Current Predictions

Part 3

Appendices <--------download all Appendices A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I

Appendix A Navigational Stars And The Planets

Appendix B Conversion Of Compass Points To Degrees

Appendix C Miscellaneous Data

Appendix D Navigational Coordinates

Appendix E Extracts From 2024 Nautical Almanac

Appendix F Measurement On The Earth

Appendix G Measurement On The Celestial Sphere

Appendix H Extracts From 2020 Tide Tables

Appendix I Extracts From 2020 Tidal Current Tables

Glossaries <-----------download Glossaries

Glossary Of Marine Navigation

Glossary Of Abbreviations And Acronyms

Index <-----download alphabetic index

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