Note 8 — Chapter VII · METHODS OF DETERMINING THE ORIENTATION OF TEMPLES.

For a detailed account of the way in which the formula in use has been obtained, the reader had better turn to Vol. I., p. 253, of Chauvenet's "Spherical and Practical Astronomy."

If we denote the latitude by φ,

and let p = the star's polar distance, a = " " right ascension, Θ = sidereal time of observation, h = the star's altitude, t = " " hour angle;

then, knowing that

t = Θ - a,

the formula may be written as follows:—

φ = h - p cos. t + ½{p²} sin. 1” sin.²t tan. h.

The Nautical Almanac gives tables to facilitate the computations involved, but greater exactness is obtained by direct computation.