On 13 September your 1830 ZT DR position was LAT 23°03'S, LONG 105°16'E when you observed a faint unidentifiable star through a hole in the clouds. The star bore 351.5°T at a sextant altitude (hs) of 62°05.6'. The chronometer read 11h 24m 39s and is 5m 08s slow. The index error is 1.0' off the arc, and the height of eye is 52 feet. What star did you observe?

Question

On 13 September your 1830 ZT DR position was LAT 23&deg;03'S, LONG 105&deg;16'E when you observed a faint unidentifiable star through a hole in the clouds. The star bore 351.5&deg;T at a sextant altitude (hs) of 62&deg;05.6'. The chronometer read 11h 24m 39s and is 5m 08s slow. The index error is 1.0' off the arc, and the height of eye is 52 feet. What star did you observe?

Accepted Answer

Option D: Beta Ophiuchi. Determining star identity requires calculating Local Hour Angle (LHA) and declination from GMT and sight data, then comparing coordinates with navigational stars in the Nautical Almanac, identifying the body as Beta Ophiuchi.