Measuring Distance on the Sky

When thinking about positions and distances on the sky, think about it as the inside of a hollow,
solid sphere. The apparent distance between two points on the dome of the sky is the angular
distance, which is the angle between the two objects, measured with the vertex at the center of the
sphere. Any angle measured with the vertex at the center is said to be measured in degrees of arc.
Fractional values can be specified in arcminutes and arcseconds.

1a 1b

Figure 1c: Using your hands to estimate angular size.

In the field, angular distance on the sky can be estimated using your hands for reference, since your
eyes are at the center of the sphere (Figure 1a and c). The Moon subtends an angle of 0.5º, or 30
arcminutes, which is about the width of your pinky finger held at arm's length. Three fingers take up
about 5º, your fist is about 10º, and if you spread your hand out, and from index finger to pinky is
about 15º. You can check the accuracy of your hand measurements by comparing to the angular
distances in the Big Dipper, as shown in Figure 1c.
Next, we can then define a coordinate system based on a polar axis and equator, to specify exact
positions. There are several different coordinate systems for the sky, which are based on different
axes. However, remember that angular distance remains independent of the coordinate system used.
The Earth's Coordinate System
Latitude is defined as an angle in degrees, North or
South of the equator, with the vertex of the angle at the
center of the Earth.
Longitude is an angle East or West of of the Greenwich
Meridian in England, which is arbitrarily defined to be 0º
longitude.
Meridian generally refers to any line that runs pole to
pole, on the surface of a sphere.

The Altitude - Azimuth Coordinate System

The equator of this coordinate system is the circle that
slices exactly between the zenith and nadir,
corresponding to the observer's horizon.

Altitude is measured in degrees above the horizon, so

that the zenith is at 90º altitude, while the horizon is 0º
altitude.

Azimuth is measured on a parallel to the horizon, in

degrees East from North, like the markings on a
compass: 90º is due East, 180º is due South, and 270º
due West.

The Equatorial Coordinate System

Hour angle-Declination
Hour angle : angle between observers
meridian and stars meridian.
H.A. = Local sidereal time - right ascension

Declination : Declination is analogous to

latitude and is measured as north or south of the
celestial equator. Declination is usually expressed
in degrees, minutes of arc, and seconds of arc.
Right ascension-Declination

Right ascension is analogous to longitude, is

usually measured in units of time: hours,
minutes, seconds. The zero-point for right
ascension is the Vernal Equinox (also called
the Aries Point in the text), location on the
celestial equator of sunrise on the first day of
spring. The total range of right ascension is
24 hrs = 360 deg / 15 deg/hr. The 15 deg/hr
conversion factor arises from the rotation rate
of the Earth.

Declination : Declination is analogous to

latitude and is measured as north or south of
the celestial equator. Declination is usually
expressed in degrees, minutes of arc, and
seconds of arc.

Ecliptic coordinate system :

Ecliptic longitude or celestial longitude (symbols: heliocentric l, geocentric λ) measures the
angular distance of an object along the ecliptic from the primary direction.
Ecliptic latitude
Ecliptic latitude or celestial latitude
(symbols: heliocentric b, geocentric β),
measures the angular distance of an object
from the ecliptic towards the north (positive)
or south (negative) ecliptic pole.

Galactic Coordinate System