On 24 August your vessel is enroute from Perth, Australia, to Bombay, India. Evening twilight will occur at 1807 zone time and your vessel's DR position will be LAT 27°17.0' S, LONG 83°17.0' E. Considering their magnitude and location, what are the three stars best suited to observe for a fix at star time?

Question

On 24 August your vessel is enroute from Perth, Australia, to Bombay, India. Evening twilight will occur at 1807 zone time and your vessel's DR position will be LAT 27&deg;17.0' S, LONG 83&deg;17.0' E. Considering their magnitude and location, what are the three stars best suited to observe for a fix at star time?

Accepted Answer

Option D: Spica, Altair, Acrux. Selecting stars for a fix requires a balanced azimuth spread to minimize the geometric dilution of precision. Spica, Altair, and Acrux offer optimal separation and magnitude for the specified latitude and time, ensuring the resulting lines of position intersect at favorable angles for an accurate celestial fix.