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Constellations and celestial coordinates (introductory)

Galaxies and cosmology · Physics

Solar system

Interactive 3D

All eight planets in orbit around the Sun, with Saturn's rings and Earth's Moon.

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Study notes

Worked example - how high will Vega culminate over Delhi? Vega has declination +38.8 degrees; Delhi's latitude is ~28.6 N. Step 1: maximum altitude = 90 - |latitude - declination| = 90 - |28.6 - 38.8| = 90 - 10.2 = 79.8 degrees. Step 2: interpret - Vega passes nearly overhead (zenith = 90), slightly to the south at its highest. Bonus: a star is circumpolar (never sets) if |declination| > 90 - |latitude|; for Delhi that means Dec > 61.4 or Dec < -61.4.

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