Mission
Preservation of the Art of Celestial Navigation and related skills.

Information
The Foundation for the Promotion of the Art of Navigation (The Navigation Foundation) was started in 1981 by a group of experienced navigators who believe that navigation is a personal skill essential to the seaman, even in this age of electronics.

The Navigation Foundation is an all-volunteer organization intended to preserve the art and science of celestial navigation for future generations and to teach the fine points of this skill that are fading from modern textbooks.

The Navigation Foundation strives to educate and inform its members through the publication of a quarterly newsletter featuring articles on navigational methods, history of navigation, and reviews of books on the subject. A reader's forum provides opportunities for neophytes and experts to exchange ideas and recount experiences. Frequently issues will contain a lesson in basics of navigation, designed for newcomers.

In order to raise public interest and awareness, The Navigation Foundation has awarded prizes for demonstrated excellence in navigation at the United States Naval Academy, Tabor Academy, and other academic institutions. It provides assistance in the development of teaching materials and equipment that aid the study and practice of marine navigation.

Products and Services
Historically, members received substantial discounts on all government charts, international and coastal, all publications from the Government Printing Office and several other providers of navigational books and publications. This program is no longer active, but we will look into re-activating this in the future is there is enough interest and to re-establishing a membership list with printed or emailed newsletters.

Editors Note: The previous non-profit corporate structure of the Foundation was discontinued in Jan, 2009. The membership remains in contact, and our goals remain unchanged. New organizational structures are being considered, and once formed, membership will again be open to the public.

In the meantime, we will maintain this web site for information on the important role the Foundation has performed over the years in meeting its goals.

Our previously announced goal of making all of the past newsletters available as free downloads has now been accomplished. Please see Navigator's Newletter.

For questions or comments, please contact [email protected]

Celestialnavigation.net — A non-commercial collection of related links and resources.

Starpath School of Navigation — offers online training in celestial navigation.

Online Discussion Group (NavL) — A unique source for in-depth discussions of celestial navigation and related topics.

USNO Astro Applications — Many valuable tools.