List of Lights
Encyclopedia
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| Purpose: | Provide info on navigational aids outside the U.S. |
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| Publication Frequency: | Yearly |
| Published by: | National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States with the primary mission of collecting, analyzing and distributing geospatial intelligence in support of national security. NGA was formerly known as the National Imagery and Mapping Agency ... (NGA) |
| Available Online: | Yes http://www.nga.mil/portal/site/maritime/ |
A list of lights is a publication describing lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
s and other aids to maritime navigation
Navigation
Navigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
. Most such lists are published by national hydrographic office
Hydrographic office
A hydrographic office is an organization which is devoted to acquiring and publishing hydrographic information.Historically, the main tasks of hydrographic offices were the conduction of hydrographic surveys and the publication of nautical charts...
s.
United States
The United States National Geospatial-Intelligence AgencyNational Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States with the primary mission of collecting, analyzing and distributing geospatial intelligence in support of national security. NGA was formerly known as the National Imagery and Mapping Agency ...
publishes a list of lights. The book is usually referred to as the List of Lights, and should not be confused with the U.S. Coast Guard's Light List.
The List of Lights is published in seven volumes, as Publication numbers 110 through 116. Each volume contains lights and other aids to navigation that are maintained by or under the authority of other governments.
Each volume corresponds to a defined geographic region, and contains more complete information about the navigational aids than can be conveniently shown on nautical charts. New editions are published annually for every volume.
In addition to information on lighted aids to navigation and sound signals in foreign waters, the NGA List of Lights provides information on storm signals, signal stations, racon
Racon
A racon is a radar transponder commonly used to mark maritime navigational hazards. The word is a portmanteau of RAdar and beaCON.When a racon receives a radar pulse, it responds with a signal on the same frequency which puts an image on the radar display...
s, radiobeacons, and radio direction finder
Radio direction finder
A radio direction finder is a device for finding the direction to a radio source. Due to low frequency propagation characteristic to travel very long distances and "over the horizon", it makes a particularly good navigation system for ships, small boats, and aircraft that might be some distance...
calibration stations located at or near lights. Publication number 117, Radio Navigational Aids
Radio Navigational Aids
The Radio Navigational Aids publication contains a detailed list of selected worldwide radio stations that provide services to the mariner. The publication is divided into chapters according to the nature of the service provided by the radio stations...
, is the primary source for details on radio navigational aids.
The List of Lights does not include information on lighted buoys inside harbors. It does include certain aeronautical lights situated near the coast; however, these lights are not designed for marine navigation and are subject
to unreported changes.
Notices to mariners
Notice to Mariners
A notice to mariners advises mariners of important matters affecting navigational safety, including new hydrographic information, changes in channels and aids to navigation, and other important data.Over 60 countries which produce nautical charts also...
provided by other countries are the main source for correctional information source for the Lists of Lights, however other sources, such as ship reports, are also used.
Source
The text of this article originated from section 410 of The American Practical Navigator, a document produced by the government of the United States of AmericaUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
See also
Similar publications are published by the U.S. Coast Guard for U.S. civilian and commercial use, and by the Canadian Coast Guard.- American Practical Navigator
- BuoyBuoyA buoy is a floating device that can have many different purposes. It can be anchored or allowed to drift. The word, of Old French or Middle Dutch origin, is now most commonly in UK English, although some orthoepists have traditionally prescribed the pronunciation...
- Coast PilotsCoast PilotsUnited States Coast Pilots is a nine-volume American navigation publication distributed yearly by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Coast Survey. The purpose of the publication is to supplement nautical charts of United States of America waters. Information comes...
- Light ListLight ListThe United States Coast Guard Light List is an American navigation publication in 7 volumes made available yearly by the U.S. Coast Guard which gives information on lighted navigation aids, unlighted buoys, radiobeacons, radio direction finder calibration stations, daybeacons, racons, and LORAN...
- Local Notice to MarinersLocal Notice to MarinersA Local Notice to Mariners is an authoritative instruction issued by a designated official, typically the harbormaster.-United States:In the United States, notices are issued by each U.S. Coast Guard District to disseminate important information affecting navigational safety within that District...
- Notice to marinersNotice to MarinersA notice to mariners advises mariners of important matters affecting navigational safety, including new hydrographic information, changes in channels and aids to navigation, and other important data.Over 60 countries which produce nautical charts also...
- Sailing DirectionsSailing DirectionsSailing Directions is a 42-volume American navigation publication published by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency . Sailing Directions consists of 37 Enroute volumes, 4 Planning Guide volumes, and 1 volume combining both types...
External links
- NGA List of Lights Online
- Notices to mariners, Canadian Coast Guard