|
|
23-01-2021, 04:14
|
#1
|
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Norfolk, VA USA
Posts: 657
|
Almanac and Celestial Navigation Calculator
All,
Here are some links to a spreadsheet I've been working on:
Zipped spreadsheet.
Unzipped spreadsheet.
***NOTE: This is a beta version and is not intended for use in actual navigation. It is only guaranteed to work in current versions of Microsoft Excel.***
Try it out and let me know what you think. If you could test it with some actual sight data, that would be excellent! If you find any bugs, please let me know here or see the "Instructions" tab in the spreadsheet.
Current list of features:
- Perpetual almanac which lists basic data necessary for celestial navigation
- Sky chart showing traditional nav bodies above the horizon
- Data series calculator for comparison/analysis
- DR and sight reduction calculator
- Position log
- Great circle route calculator including internal database of ~15,500 cities worldwide
- Internal delta-T values for dates between 500 BC and AD 2030
- Custom delta-T value fields for dates outside the above range - or whenever
- Only 2MB
Some stats:
- Total Sheets: 18
- Cells with data: 180,868
- Tables: 4
- Formulas: 8,373
- Charts: 2
- Macros: 26
- Days I've been working on it so far: 237
Don't worry about the macros, they just make the buttons work. If you want, you can open Visual Basic and see everything they do.
Screenshots:
The data series calculator can be used to make charts like this for comparison/analysis:
Anyway, please try it out and let me know what you think. Thanks!
Regards,
Sean
|
|
|
23-01-2021, 04:22
|
#2
|
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Live aboard in Simonstown (Cape Town) - now Grenada having crossed the Atlantic.
Boat: 1986 Bruce Roberts 45 raised saloon
Posts: 374
|
Re: Almanac and Celestial Navigation Calculator
Amazing effort, I may have to dig out the old sextant from under a pile of other random stuff and eventually learn to use it!
|
|
|
23-01-2021, 05:16
|
#3
|
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Norfolk, VA USA
Posts: 657
|
Re: Almanac and Celestial Navigation Calculator
Quote:
Originally Posted by markcouz
Amazing effort, I may have to dig out the old sextant from under a pile of other random stuff and eventually learn to use it!
|
Thanks! The destination is already set for you on the map screen.
|
|
|
23-01-2021, 06:11
|
#4
|
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2013
Boat: Pearson Countess 44
Posts: 183
|
Re: Almanac and Celestial Navigation Calculator
I'm amazed by your effort, and jealous of skills. It gives me incentive to dust off the old sextant.
Fifty years ago I started to learn celestial navigation at the Hayden Planetarium in NYC. I didn't finish the course and have forgotten everything I learned at the time.
I've always wanted to relearn but I fear I'm over the hill to pursue it. Your lovely program gives me some hope.
Thank you.
|
|
|
23-01-2021, 06:14
|
#5
|
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Norfolk, VA USA
Posts: 657
|
Re: Almanac and Celestial Navigation Calculator
Just found a new bug: the data series calculator gives incorrect distances for stars. That will be fixed in the next version.
|
|
|
23-01-2021, 06:51
|
#6
|
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: forest city
Boat: no boat any more
Posts: 2,510
|
Re: Almanac and Celestial Navigation Calculator
I always found the idea of combining a traditional, "handicraft"-type of skill like celestial with computers highly hilarious.
__________________
...not all who wander are lost!
|
|
|
23-01-2021, 08:53
|
#7
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Amelia Island, Florida
Boat: Endeavour, CC Ketch 40ft
Posts: 39
|
Re: Almanac and Celestial Navigation Calculator
Great job and really appreciate the amount of effort you put into it.
|
|
|
23-01-2021, 08:59
|
#8
|
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Back in Mexico cruising the northern part of Sea of Cortez
Boat: 1999 Pacific Seacraft 40
Posts: 716
|
Re: Almanac and Celestial Navigation Calculator
This looks great! Always wanted to take the shots and plug it into a good tool.
Wondering if the updated version(s) will be on the same link? Haven't looked at the link yet - but will there be a note regarding the versions?
Thanks again
|
|
|
23-01-2021, 09:05
|
#9
|
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Portland, Oregon USA
Boat: Island Packet, Packet Cat 35
Posts: 953
|
Re: Almanac and Celestial Navigation Calculator
I have looked for something like this before. Thank you. Will play with it when I get a chance. Buried in projects now.
|
|
|
23-01-2021, 09:21
|
#10
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Herzlia, Israel
Boat: Anchor Yachts, Compass 47 "Enigma"
Posts: 34
|
Re: Almanac and Celestial Navigation Calculator
Wonderful but i use:
https://stellarium-web.org/
stellarium.org
and there is a lot of almanacs in the market
why your is better?
|
|
|
23-01-2021, 09:34
|
#11
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Satellite Beach, FL
Boat: Brewer 44' Steel
Posts: 393
|
Re: Almanac and Celestial Navigation Calculator
Great Spread Sheets but how do I download to actually USE it.
Sorry not enough of a computer geek
Russ
__________________
Russ
|
|
|
23-01-2021, 09:40
|
#12
|
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Matagorda, TX catching my breath
Boat: Hans Christian 41 T
Posts: 143
|
Re: Almanac and Celestial Navigation Calculator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Smokeys Kitchen
This looks great! Always wanted to take the shots and plug it into a good tool.
Wondering if the updated version(s) will be on the same link? Haven't looked at the link yet - but will there be a note regarding the versions?
Thanks again
|
My question also, I would like to keep up with your efforts.
__________________
Timing is everything
|
|
|
23-01-2021, 10:06
|
#13
|
Registered User
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Nevada, USA
Boat: boatless currently
Posts: 100
|
Re: Almanac and Celestial Navigation Calculator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Russ
Great Spread Sheets but how do I download to actually USE it.
Sorry not enough of a computer geek
Russ
|
The spreadsheet is stored on DropBox (a cloud storage service). When you click on the link, by default it opens in the DropBox Excel viewer. There should be a download button in the top right corner, right next to the Sign Up button. It looks like a down arrow with a horizontal bar below. Click that and then select "Direct download" from the menu.
Kamen
|
|
|
23-01-2021, 10:30
|
#14
|
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Panama City Beach, FL
Boat: Pacific Seacraft 37
Posts: 19
|
Re: Almanac and Celestial Navigation Calculator
Way cool. I've been dreaming of a tool like this for years. Amazing effort. I will give it a try over the next few weeks, and let you know if I find any bugs.
|
|
|
23-01-2021, 10:42
|
#15
|
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Ranieri/Bari, S. Italy
Boat: Jeanneau 43ds
Posts: 638
|
Re: Almanac and Celestial Navigation Calculator
Bravo Sean! Impressive work. I did the Yachtmaster Ocean theory, most oif which was Celestial navigation and was drawn to the course by its title "The Study of Heavenly Bodies"
From the little that i remember from 30 years ago i notice one of your screenshots is for details of the moon but surely it should be "lower limb" ?
Andrew
__________________
|
|
|
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Rate This Thread |
Linear Mode
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
Advertise Here
Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vendor Spotlight |
|
|
|
|