How does a pilot aim for an aircraft carrier?
Hopefully this is a better view of what one should see on approach to a carrier.

Above is a typical textbook case approach to a carrier in an F/A-18E strike fighter. I chose a picture at dusk as it is a little easier to see all the symbology and optical lights more clearly.

Note the jet is aligned with the centerline of the landing area. The optical landing sight or 'ball' can be seen to the left of the landing area with the center amber light aligned with the green row of lights, indicating the jet is on a 3° glide-path and should allow it to touch down between the #2 and #3 cross deck pendants for a good 3-wire approach.

The flight path marker is centered in the 'E' bracket indicating an ideal Angle of Attack for the approach; this is also verified by the amber AoA indexer light to the left of the HUD.

The pilot will do a cyclical scan of the line up, ball and E-bracket, making corrections to the control inputs on each pass. In close, over the ramp, and in the wires this cycle shifts over to a focus on the ball, tracking it all the way to the deck such that touchdown should come as a surprise.