On 2 October your 1845 DR position is LAT 28°09.2'S, LONG 167°48.1'E. You observe a faint star through a hole in the clouds at a sextant altitude (hs) of 11°37.6' bearing 066°T. The index error is 1.3' off the arc, and the height of eye is 42 feet. The chronometer reads 07h 46m 19s and is 0m 51s fast. What star did you observe?
Official USCG Answer & Rule Citation
Correct Answer: Option C — Algenib
Star identification involves determining Local Hour Angle of Aries using Greenwich Mean Time and chronometer corrections. Computing Greenwich Sidereal Hour Angle and subtracting local longitude reveals the Star's Local Hour Angle for comparison against tabular values.
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