Navigation by the Stars

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Which is of the Longitude and Declination of 32 notable fixed stars for Navigation, with tables of their shining, and at what point of the compass they do both rise and set; with tables for every month of the year, for mariners out from Seagate Port.

The Uses of the Stars

It is convenient for diverse reasons to show the Longitude and Declination of certain of the most notable fixed Stars that lie between the Tropic Circles, which are very necessary for Navigation in diverse respects, as if you are far to the North, where the North Pole is raised more than 50 degrees, then the North Star is too high to be observed or taken with the cross staff, and it is not uncommon (particularly to the North) that the sun is not to be seen exactly at Noon, and then any of these Stars may serve in their turn. And furthermore, they are very good for those who have occasion to sail beyond the Equinoctial, where the North Star is always under the Horizon, to be used for knowing the declination as also described in earlier chapters, again with the Sun often being obscured for days in the southern oceans. And furthermore, they are very useful for Seafarers to know the passing of the hours of the night, both by their position on the Meridian, and by their rising and setting; you may know the true time of their rising and setting in every Latitude by their declination North or South from the Equinoctial, as is explained in an earlier chapter on the declination of the Sun. And furthermore by any of these Stars, you may measure the variation of your compass by night.

The Notable Tropical Stars

And in the list of notable fixed Stars that lie between the Tropic Circles we list the sign of the Zodiac that each falls within, the Longitude of the Star within that Sign, their Declination from the Equinoctial, their Magnitude or Brightness when observed, and at what point of the compass the star rises and set when seen from Seagate, along with the time it shines, in all seasons. But if you desire to know the length of time that any of these stars is above the horizon or where it sets or rises in Latitudes other than Seagate, then refer to earlier chapters, as you may know this by their declinations, even as you know the length of the day, and the bearings for sunrise and sun set by the Sun's declination.

The 32 most notable Tropical Stars

Finding these Tropical Stars

Star Name	Zodiac Sign	Longitude	Declination	Magnitude	Brightness	Rises	Sets	Visible for
The Hammer	Smith	7° 02'	4° 23' N	3	Third Magnitude	84° 30'	275° 30'	12 hours 26 minutes
Horseshoe	Smith	19° 16'	17° 34' S	1	A Great Star	112° 10'	247° 50'	10 hours 9 minutes
The Knife	Thief	5° 02'	1° 40' N	2	Second Magnitude	87° 50'	272° 10'	12 hours 10 minutes
Thief's Purse	Thief	14° 06'	4° 52' S	3	Third Magnitude	96° 10'	263° 50'	11 hours 30 minutes
Thief's Mask	Thief	21° 27'	20° 16' N	3	Third Magnitude	64° 20'	295° 40'	14 hours 9 minutes
Lover's Foot	Lover	9° 09'	23° 55' S	2	Second Magnitude	120° 30'	239° 30'	9 hours 23 minutes
The Rose	Lover	19° 51'	16° 56' N	1	A Great Red Star	68° 40'	291° 20'	13 hours 46 minutes
Shield Boss	Warrior	0° 34'	4° 35' N	2	Second Magnitude	84° 20'	275° 40'	12 hours 27 minutes
Spear Butt	Warrior	13° 59'	14° 17' S	3	Third Magnitude	108° 00'	252° 00'	10 hours 31 minutes
The Crown	King	3° 47'	20° 13' N	2	Second Magnitude	64° 20'	295° 40'	14 hours 8 minutes
Sceptre Base	King	11° 48'	11° 41' S	3	Third Magnitude	104° 40'	255° 20'	10 hours 48 minutes
The Orb	King	18° 46'	2° 31' N	0	A Very Great Star	86° 50'	273° 10'	12 hours 15 minutes
Spinning Wheel	Mother	12° 14'	18° 29' S	3	Third Magnitude	113° 20'	246° 40'	10 hours 3 minutes
The Awl	Mother	21° 57'	6° 44' N	1	A Great Star	81° 30'	278° 30'	12 hours 40 minutes
The Wand	Magician	7° 04'	13° 45' N	1	A Great Blue Star	72° 40'	287° 20'	13 hours 25 minutes
Robe Hem	Magician	19° 34'	13° 32' S	3	Third Magnitude	107° 00'	253° 00'	10 hours 36 minutes
Wolf Paw	Wolf	1° 58'	22° 56' S	2	Second Magnitude	119° 10'	240° 50'	9 hours 31 minutes
Dog's Balls	Wolf	12° 44'	17° 13' S	3	Third Magnitude	111° 50'	248° 10'	10 hours 11 minutes
Lost Hope	Void	12° 51'	2° 22' S	4	Fourth Magnitude	93° 00'	267° 00'	11 hours 45 minutes
Scythe Head	Reaper	3° 45'	15° 00' N	1	A Great Star	71° 10'	288° 50'	13 hours 33 minutes
Scythe Butt	Reaper	11° 59'	9° 43' S	2	Second Magnitude	102° 10'	257° 50'	11 hours 0 minutes
Scythe Tip	Reaper	23° 44'	23° 43' N	0	A Very Great Star	59° 40'	300° 20'	14 hours 34 minutes
Pig Bladder	Fool	7° 48'	10° 28' N	3	Third Magnitude	76° 50'	283° 10'	13 hours 4 minutes
Fool's Belly	Fool	21° 01'	4° 46' N	1	A Great Star	84° 00'	276° 00'	12 hours 28 minutes
Wheat Bushel	Farmer	2° 55'	16° 52' S	3	Third Magnitude	111° 20'	248° 40'	10 hours 14 minutes
Farmers Eye	Farmer	14° 02'	20° 44' N	2	Second Magnitude	63° 40'	296° 20'	14 hours 12 minutes
Sickle	Farmer	22° 42'	13° 36' N	1	A Great Star	72° 50'	287° 10'	13 hours 24 minutes
The Garter	Maiden	5° 36'	11° 44' S	2	Second Magnitude	104° 50'	255° 10'	10 hours 47 minutes
Maid's Ankle	Maiden	17° 02'	21° 07' S	2	Second Magnitude	116° 50'	243° 10'	9 hours 44 minutes
Messenger's Head	Messenger	0° 44'	20° 00' N	2	Second Magnitude	64° 40'	295° 20'	14 hours 7 minutes
The Baton	Messenger	9° 15'	4° 14' S	3	Third Magnitude	95° 20'	264° 40'	11 hours 34 minutes
The Scroll	Messenger	18° 55'	6° 34' N	2	Second Magnitude	81° 50'	278° 10'	12 hours 39 minutes

The Stars at their Meridian

Now for all days of any month of the year, it is very necessary to know the time that a star is to be found touching your Meridian, being due South (or North, for distant explorers), as this serves Mariners well to take their height with their instruments, or to know the time as it passes through the night. And knowing their Meridial time and the number of hours that they shine, then as shown in earlier chapters, you may know when they rise and set, this being exactly half the time they are visible either removed from or added to their Meridial time. And as it is known for every star that is above the Horizon at night the exact times that it rises, reaches its Zenith, and sets, so no Mariner should ever be uncertain of the time, being that they can see one of Eastwards, Westwards or directly overhead.

Now this table does not list every day, this being too many tables and charts for any Mariner to carry, but only the Meridial times for the four High Holidays. And to know the time for other days, remove 4 minutes from the time for each day of the Season. That doing, you shall know the rising, setting and Zenith times of these 32 Tropical stars on any day, at any Latitude.

Meridial Times for the Tropical Stars

Star Name	Beltane	Lugnasad	Samhain	C~mansa
The Hammer	12:54 p.m.	6:54 a.m.	12:54 a.m.	6:54 p.m.
Horseshoe	1:43 p.m.	7:43 a.m.	1:43 a.m.	7:43 p.m.
The Knife	2:28 p.m.	8:28 a.m.	2:28 a.m.	8:28 p.m.
Thief's Purse	3:05 p.m.	9:05 a.m.	3:05 a.m.	9:05 p.m.
Thief's Mask	3:34 p.m.	9:34 a.m.	3:34 a.m.	9:34 p.m.
Lover's Foot	4:28 p.m.	10:28 a.m.	4:28 a.m.	10:28 p.m.
The Rose	5:11 p.m.	11:11 a.m.	5:11 a.m.	11:11 p.m.
Shield Boss	5:36 p.m.	11:36 a.m.	5:36 a.m.	11:36 p.m.
Spear Butt	6:30 p.m.	12:30 p.m.	6:30 a.m.	12:30 a.m.
The Crown	7:32 p.m.	1:32 p.m.	7:32 a.m.	1:32 a.m.
Sceptre Base	8:04 p.m.	2:04 p.m.	8:04 a.m.	2:04 a.m.
The Orb	8:32 p.m.	2:32 p.m.	8:32 a.m.	2:32 a.m.
Spinning Wheel	9:49 p.m.	3:49 p.m.	9:49 a.m.	3:49 a.m.
The Awl	10:28 p.m.	4:28 p.m.	10:28 a.m.	4:28 a.m.
The Wand	11:11 p.m.	5:11 p.m.	11:11 a.m.	5:11 a.m.
Robe Hem	12:01 a.m.	6:01 p.m.	12:01 p.m.	6:01 a.m.
Wolf Paw	12:33 a.m.	6:33 p.m.	12:33 p.m.	6:33 a.m.
Dog's Balls	1:16 a.m.	7:16 p.m.	1:16 p.m.	7:16 a.m.
Lost Hope	3:00 a.m.	9:00 p.m.	3:00 p.m.	9:00 a.m.
Scythe Head	4:06 a.m.	10:06 p.m.	4:06 p.m.	10:06 a.m.
Scythe Butt	4:39 a.m.	10:39 p.m.	4:39 p.m.	10:39 a.m.
Scythe Tip	5:26 a.m.	11:26 p.m.	5:26 p.m.	11:26 a.m.
Pig Bladder	6:05 a.m.	12:05 a.m.	6:05 p.m.	12:05 p.m.
Fool's Belly	6:58 a.m.	12:58 a.m.	6:58 p.m.	12:58 p.m.
Wheat Bushel	7:29 a.m.	1:29 a.m.	7:29 p.m.	1:29 p.m.
Farmers Eye	8:13 a.m.	2:13 a.m.	8:13 p.m.	2:13 p.m.
Sickle	8:48 a.m.	2:48 a.m.	8:48 p.m.	2:48 p.m.
The Garter	9:22 a.m.	3:22 a.m.	9:22 p.m.	3:22 p.m.
Maid's Ankle	10:08 a.m.	4:08 a.m.	10:08 p.m.	4:08 p.m.
Messenger's Head	10:46 a.m.	4:46 a.m.	10:46 p.m.	4:46 p.m.
The Baton	11:20 a.m.	5:20 a.m.	11:20 p.m.	5:20 p.m.
The Scroll	11:58 a.m.	5:58 a.m.	11:58 p.m.	5:58 p.m.