11134 version 5
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Undertake astronomical observations and computations
Level
6
Credits
5
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to: compute sun and star
coordinates; undertake field observations for the determination of azimuth;
reduce field observations; compute the astronomical azimuth to the reference
object; and compute the geodetic azimuth to the reference object.
Subfield
Surveying
Domain
Geodetic Surveying
Status
Registered
Status date
25 February 2008
Date version published
25 February 2008
Planned review date
31 December 2012
Entry information
Open.
Accreditation
Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA and
industry.
Standard setting body (SSB)
Infrastructure ITO
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference
0101
This AMAP can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Special notes
1
Definition
Survey industry standards refer to those standards set out by the Cadastral Survey
Act 2002, standards are also documented in Chief Surveyor's Memoranda published
internally by Land Information New Zealand, and in standards documented by
individual enterprises.
2
Reference documents include: The Star Almanac for Land Surveyors (London: Her
Majesty’s Stationary Office) (Published annually).
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
11134 version 5
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Elements and performance criteria
Element 1
Compute sun and star coordinates.
Performance criteria
1.1
Calculations are undertaken using the Star Almanac for Land Surveyors to
determine both the right ascension and the Greenwich hour angle of the sun,
and the right ascension and declination of a star for a given local standard time.
1.2
Transformations are undertaken between Local Standard Time, Universal Time
Coordinates, Greenwich Apparent Sidereal Time, and Local Apparent Sidereal
Time.
1.3
A given star's azimuth and altitude are predicted at a given epoch for a given
point on the earth's surface in accordance with survey industry standards.
Element 2
Undertake field observations for the determination of azimuth.
Performance criteria
2.1
The reference object is selected and identified in the field, and is used to
reference theodolite observations in accordance with job specifications.
2.2
Observations on the sun and a star are undertaken in less than five minutes of
elapsed time.
Range
left and right face, observations for direction and altitude, time.
2.3
Instrument verticality is determined by observation of the plate bubble in
accordance with survey industry standards.
2.4
Observations of temperature and atmospheric pressure are undertaken to
enable subsequent refraction corrections to be applied where required.
Element 3
Reduce field observations.
Performance criteria
3.1
Corrections are applied according to the observational data.
Range
sun's parallax, sun's semi-diameter, atmospheric refraction,
instrumental dislevelment, vertical and/or horizontal collimation,
watch error.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
11134 version 5
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Element 4
Compute the astronomical azimuth to the reference object.
Performance criteria
4.1
The zenith distance is calculated using spherical trigonometric formulae and
utilising all known elements in the prime spherical triangle.
4.2
The astronomical azimuth is computed from reduced observational data in
accordance with job specifications.
Element 5
Compute the geodetic azimuth to the reference object.
Performance criteria
5.1
Meridional convergence is computed and applied to determine the geodetic
azimuth to the reference object in accordance with job specifications.
Please note
Providers must be accredited by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated
authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against
unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by NZQA before they can register
credits from assessment against unit standards.
Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards
must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this
standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The
AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations
wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for
tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact Infrastructure ITO askus@infratrain.co.nz if you wish to suggest changes to
the content of this unit standard.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016