Position line

{{Refimprove|auto=yes|date=January 2026}} A '''position line''' or '''line of position''' ('''LOP''') is a line (or, on the surface of the Earth, a curve) that can be both identified on a chart (nautical chart or aeronautical chart) and translated to the surface of the Earth. The intersection of a minimum of two position lines is a fix that is used in position fixing to identify a navigator's location.<ref>{{cite web|title=line of position|url=https://unterm.un.org/unterm2/en/view/UNHQ/F42364A53305D1EE85256B410065E4D0|website=UNTERM|publisher=United Nations|accessdate=2026-01-24}}</ref>

There are several types of position line: * Compass bearing – the angle between a compass point and the line passing through the compass and the point of interest<ref name="U.S. Army, 1941 pp. 24-25">U.S. Army, ''Advanced Map and Aerial Photograph Reading'', Headquarters, War Department, Washington, D.C. (17 September 1941), pp. 24-25 [https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc28314/m1/33/?q=bearing]</ref> * Transit – a line passing through the observer and two other reference points<ref name="Manley">{{Citation | last = Manley | first = Pat | title = Practical Navigation for the Modern Boat Owner | place = Chichester | publisher = John Wiley & Sons, Ltd | series = Wiley Nautical | year = 2008 | page = 68 | url = http://www.woodenboats.lt/Knygos%20public/Navigacija/Pat%20Manley%20-%20Practical%20Navigation%20for%20the%20Modern%20Boat%20Owner.pdf | access-date = 2016-05-08 | isbn = 978-0-470-51613-3 }}</ref> * Leading line – the line passing through two marks indicating a safe channel * Leading lights – the line passing through two beacons indicating a safe channel * Sector lights – the lines created by masked colored lights that indicate a safe channel

==See also== {{Portal|Geography}} * Coordinate line * Intersection (aeronautics) * Navigation * Position circle * Sight reduction

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Position Line}} Category:Navigation Category:Curves