ASTRO
AZIMUTH CONTROL TECHNIQUE
This program enables firing battery personnel to compute a grid azimuth and a check angle from observations of the sun or a selected survey star. The accuracy of the computation is dependent on the instrument used to perform the observations. This program uses the "electronic ephemeris", which eliminates the need to extract ephemeris data from FM 6-300. This program provides the option of using the BUCS internal timer to determine the data and time of "tip" for each observation or to input the date and time manually.
Considerations:
_____ Location of aiming circle known within 150 meters. Use the best available.
_____ Time accurate to within one second for sun or star. (10 seconds for Polaris). Time signal can be obtained at AVN 294-1800 or commercial 202-653-1800. A time signal receiver is available using NSN 5820-01-316-2670.
_____ Altitude of sun or survey star between 175 and 1100 mils. If accuracy of location is in doubt, observe as close to 175 mils as possible.
_____ Check BUCs date and time. Reset if necessary.
Program Requirements:
| DATA NAME | SAMPLE DATA | COMMENTS |
| Station | OS "A" | Observers Location |
| Spheroid Code | GRS-80 | Trig List/Map Info |
| Location - Easting | 554400.00 | Trig List/Map Spot |
| Location - Northing | 3835500.00 | Trig List/Map Spot |
| Latitude North or South | North | Trig List/Map Info |
| Grid Zone | 14 | Trig List/Map Info |
| Use Sun, YES or NO | Yes | Observe Sun |
| Time Module, YES or NO | No | Manual Input Date/Time |
| Time Zone letter | S | DST does not apply |
| Daylight Savings Time | Yes | Summer Months in US |
| Observation Date | 05.0688 | DD.MMYY |
| Time at first TIP | 09.3035 | HH.MMSS |
| Which edge of the sun | TRL | Trail, Leading, Center |
| Time at second | TIP 09.3135 | HH.MMSS |
(1) Use the following procedures when using the aiming circle and the hasty astro program:
_____ Emplace the aiming circle over the orienting station.
_____ Place 0.0 on the upper motion of the aiming circle.
_____ Using the lower motion, track the celestial body and announce "tracking" when the instrument is oriented on the sun or selected survey star. Announce "tip" when the center of the reticle is exactly aligned on the sun or the star. The user has the option of observing the trailing edge, leading edge, or the center of the sun.
_____ At the announcement of "tip", when using the BUCs internal timer, the ENDLINE button is pressed. If the internal timer is not being used, the date and time of the "tip" is entered manually into the BUCs.
_____ The grid azimuth to the celestial body at the time of the "tip" is displayed. Record this as the azimuth to the EOL.
_____ Depress the telescope and emplace the EOL.
_____ Using the upper motion re-track and tip then re-enter the date and time. Compare the check angle displayed with that on the aiming circle. If they are within 2 mils, the azimuth to the EOL is good, if not, recheck the setup data and re-observe.
(2) Use the following procedures with the BUCs:
| STEP | REFERENCE | ACTION |
| 1 | MAIN (?FDISAP*) | SELECT A, ENDLINE |
| 2 | ASTRO (?HS*) | SELECT H, ENDLINE |
| 3 | HASTY ASTRO | SELECT ENDLINE |
| 4 | SPHEROID CODE: 0 | Enter the name of the spheroid identifier used to enter the map mode (1 digit), ENDLINE. (an entry of 0 will show a list of legal entries) |
| 5 | EAST: 000000.00 | Enter long coordinates of orienting station easting. ENDLINE. |
| 6 | NORTH: 0000000.00 | Enter long coordinates of orienting station northing. ENDLINE. |
| 7 | GRID ZONE: 00 | Enter grid zone identifier, ENDLINE. Legal entries 1 to 60. Southern hemisphere precede grid zone with (-). |
| 8 | USE SUN (Y/N): | If the sun is to be observed select Y, ENDLINE (go to step 10). If one of the 73 survey stars is to be observed, select N, ENDLINE. |
| 9 | STAR #: | Enter the number of the star to be observed from table at end of appendix, ENDLINE. |
| 10 | TIME MODULE (Y/N): | Select N, ENDLINE to use external time. Select Y, ENDLINE for the internal timer. |
| 11 | TIME ZONE LETTER | Select the letter of the time zone where the orienting station is located, ENDLINE. |
| 12 | DAY LT SV TIME (Y/N): | If daylight savings time is being used, select Y or else select N, ENDLINE. |
| 13 | PRESS ENDLINE AT TIP | Press ENDLINE when "tip" is announced. |
| 14 | DD.MMYY: 00.0000 | Displays the date that will be used from the timer, ENDLINE |
| 15 | HH.MMSS: 00.0000 | Displays the time that will be used from the timer, ENDLINE. Go to step 18. |
| 16 | OBS DATE (DD.MMYY) | Enter the date that will be used for the observation, ENDLINE |
| 17 | OBS TIME (HH.MMSS): | Enter the time that will be used for the observation, ENDLINE. If a survey star is used, go to step 19. |
| 18 | TRL/LDG/CTR (TR/L/C): | If the sun observation was on the leading edge, select L or if the trailing edge select TR or if the center select C, ENDLINE |
| 19 | GRID AZ: 0000.000 | Azimuth to the EOL is displayed, ENDLINE. |
| 20 | PRESS ENDLINE AT TIP | Press ENDLINE when "tip" is announced. |
| 21 | HH.MMSS: 00.0000 | Displays the time that will be used from the timer, ENDLINE. Go to step 23. |
| 22 | OBS TIME (HH.MMSS): | Enter the time that will be used for the observation, ENDLINE. If a survey star is used, go to step 24. |
| 23 | TRL/LDG/CTR | If the sun observation was on the (TR/L/C): leading edge, select L or if the trailing edge select TR or if the center select C, ENDLINE |
| 24 | CK ANGLE: 0000.00 | Check angle is displayed, ENDLINE. |
| 25 | ANOTHER OBS | If the check angle is within 2.0 mils, (Y/N): select N, ENDLINE. If the angle is greater than 2.0 mils,proceed to step 10 by selecting Y, ENDLINE. |
| 26 | END OF MSN (Y/N): | To return to step 25 select N, otherwise select Y, ENDLINE. |
| 27 | ASTRO (?HS*): | To return to MAIN INDEX select *, ENDLINE. |
(3) This program will display the approximate azimuth and altitude (vertical altitude) to any of 73 survey stars selected by the user. This orientation data is accurate to within 0.5 mils for the date, time and location selected for the observation.
| STEP | REFERENCE | ACTION |
| 1 | MAIN (?FDISAP*) | SELECT A, ENDLINE |
| 2 | ASTRO (?HS*) | SELECT S, ENDLINE |
| 3 | STAR ID | Press ENDLINE |
| 4 | SPHEROID CODE: 0 | Enter the name of the spheroid identifier used to enter the map mode (1 digit), ENDLINE. (an entry of 0 will show a list of legal entries) |
| 5 | EAST: 000000.00 | Enter long coordinates of orienting station easting. ENDLINE. |
| 6 | NORTH: 0000000.00 | Enter long coordinates of orienting station northing. ENDLINE. |
| 7 | GRID ZONE: 00 | Enter grid zone identifier, ENDLINE. Legal entries 1 to 60. Southern hemisphere precede grid zone with (-) |
| 8 | OBS DATE | Enter the date that will be used for (DD.MMYY): the observation, ENDLINE. |
| 9 | OBS TIME | Enter the time that will be used for (HH.MMSS): the observation, ENDLINE. If a survey star is used, go to step 19. |
| 10 | TIME ZONE LETTER | Select the letter of the time zone where the orienting station is located, ENDLINE. |
| 11 | DAYLT SV TIME (Y/N): | If daylight savings time is used on the timer, select Y or else select N, ENDLINE |
| 12 | LST (DEGREES): 00.0 | The local sidereal time is displayed, ENDLINE. |
| 13 | STAR #: | Enter the number of the star selected for Observation, ENDLINE. |
| 14 | AZ TO STAR: 0000.00 | The grid azimuth to the star is displayed. |
| 15 | ALT TO STAR: 0000.00 | The vertical angle to the star is displayed, ENDLINE. (If the number is negative, the star is below the horizon) |
| 16 | NEW STAR (Y/N): | To return to step 13, select Y, otherwise select N, ENDLINE. |
| 17 | NEW OBS TIME (Y/N): | To return to step 9, select Y, otherwise select N, ENDLINE. |
| 18 | END OF MSN (Y/N): | To return to step 17 select N, otherwise select Y, ENDLINE. |
| 19 | ASTRO (?HS*): | To return to MAIN INDEX select *, ENDLINE. |
ALPHABETICAL STAR LIST
| ACAMAR | 12 | HADAR | 49 | |
| ACHERNAR | 9 | HAMAL | 11 | |
| ACRUX | 42* | |||
| ADHARA | 26 | KASUS AUSTRALIS | 63 | |
| ALDEBARAN | 15* | KOCHAB | 54* | |
| ALHENA | 24 | |||
| ALIOTH | 45 | MARKAB | 73 | |
| ALKAID | 48 | MENKAR | 13 | |
| AL NA'IR | 71 | MENKENT | 50 | |
| ALNILAM | 20 | MERAK | 37 | |
| ALNITAK | 21 | MIAPLACIDUS | 34 | |
| ALPHARD | 35 | MIMOSA | 44 | |
| ALPHECCA | 55 | MIRFAK | 14 | |
| ALPHERATZ | 1* | MIZAR | 46 | |
| ALTAIR | 66* | |||
| ANKAA | 4 | NUNKI | 65 | |
| ANTARES | 57* | NU | 69 | |
| ARCTURUS | 51* | |||
| ATRIA | 58 | PEACOCK | 67 | |
| AVIOR | 32 | PHECDA | 40 | |
| POLARIS | 10* | |||
| BELATRIX | 18 | POLLUX | 30 | |
| BETA HYDRI | 3 | PROCYON | 29 | |
| BETELGEUSE | 22 | |||
| RASALHAGUE | 61 | |||
| CANOPUS | 23 | REGULUS | 36* | |
| CAPELLA | 17 | RIGEL | 16 | |
| CAPH | 2 | RIGEL KENTAURUS | 52 | |
| CASTOR | 28 | RUCHBAH | 8 | |
| DENEB | 68 | SABIK | 59 | |
| DENEBOLA | 39 | SCAULA | 60 | |
| DIPHDA | 6 | SCHEDAR | 5 | |
| DSCHUBBA | 56 | SIRIUS | 25* | |
| DUBHE | 38 | SPICA | 47 | |
| SUHAIL | 33 | |||
| ELNATH | 19 | |||
| ELTANIN | 62 | VEGA | 64 | |
| ENIF | 70 | |||
| FOMALHAUT | 72 | WEZEN | 27 | |
| GACRUX | 43 | ZEBENELGENUBI | 53 | |
| GAMMA CASSIOPEIA | 7 | |||
| GAMMA VELORUM 31 | ||||
| GIENAH | 41 |
* Signifies Preferred Stars for Hasty Astro
Table
of Contents
Declination
of M2 Aiming Circle
Selected
Construction Specifications
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