Position line
A position line or line of position is a line that can be both identified on a 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.
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
- Transit – a line passing through the observer and two other reference points
- 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