A SHORT GUIDE TO CELESTIAL NAVIGATION

One may ask, why should celestial navigation be used in the age of electronics? However, it would look as if he or she asked why people keep developing classic black and white photographs in their darkrooms instead of utilizing high-color and high-definition digital cameras and associated software. The answer to both question would be - because it is more a noble art and it is fun.

Reading GPS displays is quite easy and not too exciting once you get used to it. But the celestial navigation is always a sort of challenge because all scenarios are different. Finding the geographical position of the vessel using the astronomical observations will always require proper knowledge and judgment as well as the ability to handle the delicate tools. In this case you will play a very active role in the whole process and this will require you to use all your skills.

It took many generations of astronomers and navigators, geographers and specialists in other relevant disciplines to get the celestial navigation developed to its today's state and the technical knowledge that has been collected in the course of this development, must not get forgotten. After all, everyone shall note that the celestial navigation remains a valuable alternative to the contemporary electronic navigation instruments should that fail for any reason.