Nautical Almanac

The Nautical Almanac is a joint publication between the U.S. office and publishers of the British version from the office of Her Majesty's Navy. This publication is used by amateur astronomy enthusiasts, scientists and military officials just to name a few used for this reference tool. This publication is essentially a tool for navigating the stars that make up the night sky.

The Nautical Almanac has been published in the United States since 1916. In its original form it was used to determine longitude aboard ships. This method of navigation was a necessity, as complex navigational devices had not yet been invented. The accuracy of this publication was a testament to the skill of early astronomers. There are a number of other government publications that offer additional information about the stars, the history and development of navigational tools and official government publications from NASA.

Modern Uses for the Nautical Almanac

The Nautical Almanac is a handbook for navigating the sea and other bodies of water using the stars above. You can find this and other government office publications through the Government Printing Office, through online resources, and at many local marine supply stores. You can also pick up this publication in our nation's capital at the official bookstore for the GPO.

This almanac provides data and charts for navigating marine environments. The publication is used by the U.S. Navy and is also instrumental in providing accurate information for global positioning systems and for checking the effectiveness of other navigational tools that rely on complex electronic components. While technology has replaced almanacs in many ways, the tried and true methods employed by the original astronomers and scientists are still effective and useful today.