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A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Formula for calculating a position fix
From: Andrés Ruiz
Date: 2025 Mar 28, 15:50 +0100
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From: Andrés Ruiz
Date: 2025 Mar 28, 15:50 +0100
Yes, as Frank pointed out, for a generalization the Least Squares algorithm is one of the best.
Also, on my website, "Papers - Advanced Navigation" section,
two papers about n LoPs:
- Celestial Fix - n LoPs - by Least squares Sight Reduction algorithm. Paper & Excel
- Sight Reduction - Matrix solution - Paper & Excel
The first method was originally published by De Wit (Optimal Estimation of a Multi-Star Fix, C. De Wit. NAVIGATION, Vol.21 , No. 4, Winter 1974-75, pp 320-325) and adopted in some official publications:
- NavPac and Compact Data. HM Nautical Almanac Office. Stationery Office
- The Nautical Almanac. USNO
If you want to implement this LS sight reduction algorithm using matrix algebra, in a calculator, my paper describes it in detail.
Fair winds!
