NavList:

Try searching the NavList message board archives for "direct fix" or "direct solution for latitude and longitude" or something along those lines. It's come up several times in recent years. Yes, there is a simple mathematical solution. The great circle distance problem is exactly the same, of course (the only difference being that the GP positions of the stars are just arbitrary points on the Earth), and if you have multiple distances you can apply all the usual tricks and tools for getting a "best estimate" of the correct position. You can scare your friend by getting into discussions of that old "cocked hat" issue. :)

-FER

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