Navigate with the Stars: The New Nautical Almanac for 2026

August 19, 2025

In an age of GPS and electronic charts, the time-honored skill of celestial navigation remains an essential art for mariners. It requires precision, knowledge, and a reliable guide. That guide is the Nautical Almanac, a critical resource that continues to serve as the standard for marine navigation. The new Nautical Almanac for 2026 is now available, providing the essential data needed for celestial navigation.

The Nautical Almanac is a powerful tool. It’s an annual treasure trove of astronomical information, published jointly by the U.S. Naval Observatory and the U.K. Hydrographic Office. This indispensable guide includes Celestial Body Positions: Accurate data for the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars. Rise and Set Times: Precise calculations for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset. Ephemeris Data: Detailed information on planetary and lunar positions. Together, these provide everything you need to plot your position on the open sea, ensuring you can always navigate confidently and precisely.

Beyond the Open Sea

While primarily a resource for navigators, the Nautical Almanac’s applications extend far beyond the maritime world. Amateur astronomers can use it to plan observations, track celestial events, and deepen their understanding of the night sky. Even for those with a casual interest in astronomy, the Almanac offers a fascinating look into the detailed movements of the cosmos. Whether on the water or under the stars, the Nautical Almanac connects you to the timeless art and science of finding your way.

HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS RESOURCE?

Sign up to receive promotional bulletin emails from the US Government Online Bookstore.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy a vast majority of eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Order by Phone or Email: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From the US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.  Email orders to ContactCenter@gpo.gov

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

Find more than a million official Federal Government publications from all three branches at www.govinfo.gov.

About the author: Trudy Hawkins is Government Book Talk Editor and Senior Marketing & Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication & Information Sales Office, supporting the U.S. Government Online Bookstore (https://bookstore.gpo.gov).

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Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Curious about the Cosmos in 2025? Explore the Astronomical Almanac

April 28, 2025

Calling all astronomers and astronomy enthusiasts! The Astronomical Almanac for the Year 2025 is now available from the U.S Government Bookstore.

The Astronomical Almanac contains a wide variety of both technical and general astronomical information. It is published jointly by the U.S. Nautical Almanac Office at the U.S. Naval Observatory and Her Majesty’s Nautical Almanac Office in the UK, and contains data supplied by many scientists from around the world.

A brief overview of the data available within this yearly updated astronomical resource includes:

  • Phenomena – information on the seasons, phases of the Moon, configurations of the planets, eclipses, etc.                     
  • Time-Scales and Coordinate Systems – calendar information, relationships between time scales, universal, and, sidereal times, Earth rotation angle,
  • Sun – Moon – Planets – detailed positional information,
  • Stars and Stellar Systems – mean places for bright stars, double stars, UBVRI standards,
  • Tables and Data – Julian dates, selected astronomical constants, relations between time scales.

The Astronomical Almanac is an excellent resource for commercial and military travel. It helps ensure safer travel and further assists in navigation by air and sea.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS RESOURCE?

Sign up to receive promotional bulletin emails from the US Government Online Bookstore.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy a vast majority of eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Order by Phone or Email: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

Find more than a million official Federal Government publications from all three branches at www.govinfo.gov.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publications and Information Sales Office.

Images and additional content provided by Government Book Talk Editor Trudy Hawkins. Trudy is the Senior Marketing & Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication & Information Sales Office supporting the U.S. Government Online Bookstore (https://bookstore.gpo.gov).

4 Comments | Naval Observatory, Science & Technology | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins