Azimuth is simply the angle of an object in the sky along the horizon. Yes, it's spherical trigonometry but it's not difficult! Check out this video and in just a few minutes you will be able to solve azimuth problems on your own.
You Will Need:
* The latitude and longitude of starting point
* The latitude and longitude of the celestial object
* A calculator with sine, cosine, and arcsine functions
* A chart or map (optional)
* A GPS device (optional)
Step 1: Determine latitude and longitude
Determine the latitude and longitude of the starting point, or observation point, from which you'll calculate the angle. Use L to represent the starting point latitude.
Find latitude and longitude by going to the location with a GPS device.
Step 2: Find object's coordinates
Find the latitude and longitude of the celestial object. Use D to represent the latitude of the point on the earth where the desired object is straight overhead.
Step 3: Find t
Find the meridian angle, represented by t, also known as the local hour angle – or LHA. It is the difference between the observer's longitude and the longitude of the celestial object.
Step 4: Calculate the altitude
Calculate the altitude of the object, called H. Multiply the sine of L by the sine of D. Then multiply the cosine of L by the cosine of D, by the cosine of t. Add these two products and determine the arcsine of the sum.
Step 5: Compute azimuth
Find the azimuth angle, Z, by multiplying the cosine of D by the sine of t, and dividing the product by the cosine of H. Then determine the arcsine of the result, which will give you the azimuth angle.
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