Updated January 8, 2011

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Celestial Tools

Celestial Tools is a software program for celestial navigation enthusiasts. The program was developed by Stanley L. Klein, a USPS member.

USPS Version:

NOTE: in about 2010, CPS-ECP switched from its own CN course back to the USPS two-part Junior Navigator and Navigator course approach, using USPS teaching materials. This means it would make more sense for students to use the USPS version of Celestial Tools, available here: http://www.usps.org/national/eddept/n/tools.htm. One key difference is that the USPS sight reduction form uses LHA rather than meridian angle t in the final calculations, but otherwise the method is pretty much the same.

Old Canadianized Version:

The (old) Canadian version of Celestial Tools is posted here with Stan's permission. Stan made this Canadianized Windows version for CPS-ECP students while he was developing the USPS version, back when CPS-ECP had its own CN course. He continues to develop and maintain the program for USPS, but it is unlikely that he will continue to develop this version. Stan won a training aids competition prize for Celestial Tools at a CPS-ECP national conference.

Download:

• Cautions:
  • We make no guarantees about this software.
  • Use the program at your own risk.
  • Please do not contact us for technical support.
  • Celestial Tools is a teaching aid, not an aid to navigation.
• Results from Celestial Tools may be different from those obtained using the Nautical Almanac and manual procedures taught in the CPS-ECP Celestial Navigation course owing to rounding and slight differences in the way ephemeris data are calculated.
• Celestial Tools is freeware.
• By downloading the program from this page, you agree that you are doing so at your own risk for your personal use, you agree that all rights belong to the author, and you agree not to sell or alter the program in any way.
• Unzip to a folder. Click on the .exe file to run the program.
• Click the Help button in Celestial Tools for instructions.
• See revision history (PDF).
• To download the version of Celestial Tools consistent with the CPS approach to sight reduction in a Zip file Click here for version 1.7.1.

Sample Screenshots (not necessarily the current version)

Favorite Places:

Sight Planner - Positions of Celestial Bodies:

Note in this screenshot that we limited the arc of visible bodies to 105 to 255 degrees True, because that is the only arc where we have a visible sea horizon at this anchorage near Charlottetown:

Sight Planner - Overhead View:

Sight Planner - Horizon View:

Sight Planner - Star Finder Data:

Sight Reduction:

Fix:

Noon Sight: