Dictionary term
Assumed Position
Direct answer
Assumed Position is a convenient nearby latitude and longitude selected to simplify a celestial calculation.
Assumed Position is a chosen sight-reduction coordinate used in historical astronomy, timekeeping, or navigation.
Assumed Position is a chosen sight-reduction coordinate used in historical astronomy, timekeeping, or navigation.
An engraved functional orientation; the page explains the real instrument, method, or publication.Quick reference
- Use when
- Use Assumed Position by choosing coordinates compatible with the table or calculation method while keeping them reasonably near the dead-reckoning position.
- Do not use it for
- Do not plot the resulting position line from the dead-reckoning point when the calculation used a different assumed position.
- Reference category
- Historical Almanacs & Instruments
- Related terms
- Local Hour Angle, Greenwich Hour Angle, Observed Altitude, Computed Altitude
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The story behind Assumed Position
Assumed positions made tabular sight reduction faster by aligning chosen values with available integral arguments.
Assumed Position in spiritual tradition
Assumed Position rewards careful observation, explicit assumptions, and humility about the limits of every model or measurement.
Assumed Position: fact and faith, kept distinct
This is a factual history-of-science, instrument, timekeeping, or navigation reference. It may support wonder and disciplined attention without becoming a claim of fate, worship, or private revelation.
Assumed Position in numerology
Assumed Position is not a numerology claim. Any numbers attached to it should retain their ordinary scientific, calendrical, navigational, or historical meaning unless a separate symbolic interpretation is clearly labeled.
Why Assumed Position matters
Assumed Position matters because the intercept method does not require the computed point to be the navigator's exact estimated position.
Assumed Position at work: an example
A navigator selects whole-degree latitude and a longitude that makes local hour angle an exact degree.
Where interpretation stops
Assumed Position is presented as sourced astronomy, calendrical, Earth-science, cultural, or instrument-history reference. Definitions should distinguish measured phenomena from civil convention and historical interpretation, preserve location and time dependencies, and avoid turning factual sky data into a deterministic personal claim.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency: The American Practical Navigator - Official modern reference for navigation principles, celestial observations, sight reduction, and navigational tables.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Historical Almanacs & Instruments
- Also appears in
- Historical Almanacs & Instruments
- Aliases
- None listed
- Last updated
- 2026-07-16
Explore Assumed Position
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More in Historical Almanacs & Instruments
Common questions
What is Assumed Position?
Assumed Position is a convenient nearby latitude and longitude selected to simplify a celestial calculation.
How is Assumed Position used in an almanac?
Use Assumed Position by choosing coordinates compatible with the table or calculation method while keeping them reasonably near the dead-reckoning position.
What should I avoid when interpreting Assumed Position?
Do not plot the resulting position line from the dead-reckoning point when the calculation used a different assumed position.
