Derivation of the Haversine formula.

Cos.A = cos.a (cos.b x cos.c)

(sin.b x sin.c)
Add 1 to both sides of the equation
1- Cos.A = 1- cos.a (cos.b x cos.c)
(sin.b x sin.c)
By definition versine A = (1 cos. A)
Therefore vers.A = (sin.b x sin.c) cos.a + (cos.b x cos.c)
(sin.b x sin.c)
But (sin.b x sin.c) + (cos.b x cos.c) = cos.(b-c)
Therefore vers.A x sin.b x sin.c = cos. (b-c) cos.a
Therefore -cos.a = cos.(b-c) + (vers A x sin.b x sin.c)
Add 1 to both sides
Therefore 1 cos.a = 1- cos.(b-c) + (vers A x sin.b x sin.c)
Therefore vers.a = vers. (b-c) + (vers. A x sin.b x sin.c)
Haversine a = Versine a
Therefore hav.a = hav.(b-c) + hav.A x sin.b x sin.c .......................(1)
By Transposing
hav.A = hav.a hav(b-c) ................................................................(2)
(sin.b x sin.c)
hav.(b-c) = hav.a (hav.A x sin.b x sin.c) .........................................(3)
For use in navigation these three versions of the formula are simplified to give ;hav.ZX = hav.(L difference D) = hav.P x cos.L x cos.D ...................(4)
hav.P =[hav.ZX-hav.(L differenceD)] x ( sec.L x sec.D) ....................(5)
hav.Mer .ZX = hav.ZX (hav.P x cos.L x cos.D) .................................(6)
where ZX = Zenith Distance (which is 90 degrees minus the altitude of a heavenly body)
D = Declination (The Suns Declination goes from 23 degrees North in summer to 23 degrees south
in the winter. All heavenly bodies are plotted on an imaginary Celestial sphere with the equator projected on to
it and known as the celestial equator. Declination is the angular distance between a star/planet/sun and the
celestial equator)Think of it as celestial latitude.
L = Latitude

P = Local Hour Angle.LHA ( Celestial longitude! Measured 0 to 360. When the sun crosses the Greenwich
meridian at Noon its Hour angle is Zero/360, an observer in longitude 30 west would have a Local Hour Angle
of 330 at that time.)
Longitude by Chronometer using haversine formula No 5 and logarithms.(Traditional method)
hav LHA(Local Hour Angle) = hav ZX (Zenith Distance) + hav(Latitude +/- declination) x sec Lat x sec.Dec
Dead reckoning Latitude (A best estimate of where we are at the time) = 05 52.0 North
Declination of the sun (Tabulated in the Nautical Almanac)
= 0327.0 South
Latitude + Declination (Lat is North, Dec is South so we add)
= 0919.0
True Altitude (Of the sun. Measured by sextant and corrected for hight of eye, parallax etc) = 3631.0
9000.0
ZX( Zenith Distance) = 53 29.0
Natural hav ZX 53 29.0 = 0.20247
Natural hav L+D 0919.0 = 0.00660
Natural hav
= 0.19587
LAT 05 52.0
DEC 0327.0
LHA

Log hav. 9.29197

Log sec.10.00228
Log sec.10.00079
Log hav 9.29504

LHA = 307 15.8

GHA = 222 48.3 (Greenwich hour angle, tabulated in Nautical Almanac)
Longitude = 8427.5 East
The Nautical Almanac contains the Greenwich Hour Angle of the sun and of an imaginary point on the celestial
sphere known as the first point of Aires. All stars used for navigation are then tabulated with a declination and
SHA or siderial hour angle which when added to the GHA of Aires, gives the GHA of the star. To extract the
correct value we must have the correct time, to the second, of our observation. Hence the need for an accurate
timepiece for which we thank Mr Harrison and his chronometer .
Great Circle Distance using haversine formula.
Charts used at sea are on the Mercator projection, just like all school and office wall maps, where the earth has
been flattened out and lines of longitude run parallel instead of curving in to join at the poles. If you draw a
straight line on one of these maps to connect two cities on opposite sides of the Pacific ocean it is not actually
the shortest distance. Connect the same two cities on a globe, then take ten different points along this line and
transfer them to a Mercator chart, connect the dots and you will have a curved line, apex towards the pole. This
is the shortest distance between the two points. Continue your line on the globe all the way round the sphere to
complete the circle you will find that the centre of that circle is in fact the centre of the sphere. It is the
maximum circumference. A great circle.
We can calculate the Great Circle Distance between two points as follows;hav Distance = (hav Difference of longitude x cos.Lat A x cos. Lat B + hav . (Lat A+/- Lat B)
Position A Latitude 17 22 North
Position B
Latitude 4008
D.Lat(Difference of lat)22 46

Longitude 2528 West

Longitude 73 17 West
D. Long
47 49

D. Long
47 49
Latitude A 17 22
Latitude B 4008

log. hav 9.21550

log. cos 9.97974
log. cos. 9.88340
Log hav 9.07864
natural hav 0.11985
Lat A difference Lat B natural hav 0.03896
Great circle distance
natural hav 0.15881 = 4658.2 = 2818.2 nautical miles

We can then use another form of the formula to get an initial course to steer. This is usually calculated twice
daily and course adjustments made accordingly.
Hope this is enough! Its not used much these days because of Global positioning systems. GPS. Which can do
great circles for us. It is still a requirement to know however.
XXXXXXX Dad.