Introduction to Celestial Navigation for Mariners

Overview

This course teaches the fundamentals of celestial navigation — the practice of finding your position at sea using the sky rather than electronics. Starting with the sextant and the navigational math it requires, the course progresses into more advanced topics, including sextant adjustment and navigating using the Moon, stars, and planets.

Who it's for

Recreational and professional sailors or power-boaters interested in traditional, self-reliant navigation techniques as a complement to — or backup for — modern electronic navigation.

Key takeaways

• Instrumentation: using and adjusting a sextant correctly
• Navigational math: the calculations required for celestial fixes
• Beyond the sun: navigating with the Moon, stars, and planets
• Self-reliance: a skillset that doesn't depend on electronic instruments

A practical path from basic sextant use to genuinely advanced celestial navigation techniques.