THE CELESTIAL SPHERE

The celestial sphere is an imaginary sphere of infinite radius with the earth as its
center.

ELEMENTS OF THE CELESTIAL SPHERE

Celestial poles. The extension of the earth’s poles.

Celestial equator or Equinoctial. Formed by projecting the plane of the earth’s

equator to the celestial sphere.

Celestial meridians. These are semi-great circles which terminate at the celestial
poles, cutting the equinoctial in a right angle in the manner of terrestrial
meridians. They are sometimes referred to as Hour circles.

Zenith. The point on the celestial sphere vertically overhead of an observer.

Nadir. The point on the celestial sphere vertically below the observer, or 180’
from the zenith.

CELESTIAL EQUATOR SYSTEM OF COORDINATES

Declination is the angular distance N or S of the Celestial Equator and is measured
along the hour circle from 0’ at the Celestial Equator through 90’ at the Celestial
Poles.

Polar distance is an angular distance from a celestial pole, or the arc of an hour
circle between the celestial pole and a point on the celestial sphere.

Local Hour Angle is the arc of the celestial equator between the upper branch of
the local meridian and the hour circle through a point on the celestial sphere,
measured westward from the local celestial meridian, through 360’.

Greenwich hour angle is the angular distance west of the Greenwich meridian.
Meridian angle is the angular distance east or west of the local meridian, through
180’.

HORIZON SYSTEM OF COORDINATES

Prime Vertical. The vertical circle through the E and W points of the horizon and
perpendicular to the principal vertical circle.

Altitude is an angular distance above the horizon and is measured along a vertical
circle, from 0’ at the horizon through 90’ at the zenith.

Zenith distance is an angular distance from the zenith, or an arc of a vertical circle
between the zenith and a point on the celestial sphere.

Azimuth is an arc of the horizon measured from North clockwise through 360’.

Azimuth angle is an arc of the horizon measured either clockwise or counter

clockwise through 360’ starting at the North point of the horizon in North
Latitude and the South point of the horizon is South Latitude.

Amplitude is the angular distance of a celestial body North or South of the Prime
Vertical circle.
 THE CELESTIAL SPHERE

COORDINATES IN THE ALTAZIMUTH SYSTEM

 Ecliptic
The ecliptic is the apparent path that the Sun traces out in the sky during the year,
appearing to move eastwards on an imaginary spherical surface, the celestial
sphere, relative to the (almost) fixed stars. More accurately, it is the intersection of
the celestial sphere with the ecliptic plane, which is the geometric plane
containing the mean orbit of the Earth around the Sun. (The ecliptic plane should
be distinguished from the invariable plane of the solar system, which is
perpendicular to the vector sum of the angular momenta of all planetary orbital
planes, to which Jupiter is the main contributor. The present ecliptic plane is
inclined to the invariable plane by about 1.5°.)

The name ecliptic arises because eclipses occur when the full or new Moon is very
close to this path of the Sun.