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major light

In ENC terminology this is a light that has a nominal range of 10 nmi or more. These lights are shown on an ENC with a large solid color ring (1 to 2" across) and they are also accompanied by a light description, which is similar to the labels found on paper charts. The color of the ring matches the light color, keeping in mind that white, orange, and amber lights are all shown as yellow on ENC.

A major light that is obscured from certain angles becomes in an ENC a sector light and it then has no label.

Some ECS do not follow strictly the ECDIS standard with regard to these rings. Some offer an option often called "Highlight major lights" and then this option toggles on or off these rings; otherwise major lights on those ECS just show the flare (teardrop) symbol. RosePoint Coastal Explorer is one example that uses that convention.

See also minor lights, and sector lights, the other two categories of ENC light objects.


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