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They're called the celestial poles and they move over time (due to Earth's precession).


If the axis of the Earth were extended into space, the North Pole would point almost exactly at the giant star appropriately called Polaris, in the tail of the Little Bear or handle of the Little Dipper. The South Pole doesn't have so convenient a marker; it would fall several degrees away from the long axis of a small bright asterism known as Crux, the Southern Cross. The nearest visible star to the south celestial pole is a very dim star called Sigma Octantis, and even it's not really all that close to the pole (about a degree away).


By 4000 AD, the celestial south pole will be very near the significantly brighter (though, at about magnitude 4, still quite a bit dimmer than Polaris) Gamma Chameleontis. At that time the north celestial pole will be very close to Gamma Cephei, a magnitude 3.2 star (also dimmer than Polaris, which is magnitude 2).


Unfortunately, between now and then, the celestial poles won't point to any stars in particular. By about 3000AD, there will be no notable stars very near either of them.

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What are the celestial poles?

The north and south celestial poles are the two imaginary points in the sky where the Earth's axis of rotation, indefinitely extended, intersects the imaginary rotating sphere of stars called the celestial sphere. The north and south celestial poles appear permanently directly overhead to an observer at the Earth's North pole and South pole respectively. As the Earth spins on its axis, the two celestial poles remain fixed in the sky, and all other points appear to rotate around them, completing one circuit per day.


3 The rotation of the Earth's axis is at degrees from the celestial pole?

The earth's axis of rotation points directly at the celestial pole.


What is the great circle passing through the south point on the horizon the zenith and the north point on the horizon is called?

The great circle passing through these points is called the meridian. It is an imaginary line that runs from the north celestial pole to the south celestial pole, passing through the zenith (overhead point) and intersecting the horizon at the north and south points.


If earth did not rotate could you define the celestial poles and celestial equator?

If Earth did not rotate, the celestial poles would align with the geographic poles, and the celestial equator would align with Earth's equator. The celestial poles are points in the sky that the Earth's axis points towards, and the celestial equator is an imaginary line in the sky directly above the Earth's equator. Without Earth's rotation, these references would be fixed in the sky.


How can one determine the angular distance between two points in a celestial sphere?

To determine the angular distance between two points in a celestial sphere, one can use spherical trigonometry or coordinate systems such as right ascension and declination. By calculating the difference in these coordinates for the two points, the angular distance can be found.

Related Questions

The ends of the earths axis are imaginary points known as?

The ends of the earth's axis are imaginary points known as celestial poles. There are north and south celestial poles of the earth.


The points on the earths surface directly above the focus of an earthquake?

epicenter


What are the celestial poles?

The north and south celestial poles are the two imaginary points in the sky where the Earth's axis of rotation, indefinitely extended, intersects the imaginary rotating sphere of stars called the celestial sphere. The north and south celestial poles appear permanently directly overhead to an observer at the Earth's North pole and South pole respectively. As the Earth spins on its axis, the two celestial poles remain fixed in the sky, and all other points appear to rotate around them, completing one circuit per day.


What are Celestial Poles?

The north and south celestial poles are the two imaginary points in the sky where the Earth's axis of rotation, indefinitely extended, intersects the imaginary rotating sphere of stars called the celestial sphere. The north and south celestial poles appear permanently directly overhead to an observer at the Earth's North pole and South pole respectively. As the Earth spins on its axis, the two celestial poles remain fixed in the sky, and all other points appear to rotate around them, completing one circuit per day.


What is the tilt of the earths axis of rotation?

Approximately 23°. As a matter of interest, the Tropics of Cancer and capricorn are 23° from the Equator, these representing the most northerly/southerly points on the Earth where the Sun can be directly overhead. This is due to that tilt of the earth.


What does the earths axis point directly to in outer space?

Hi it points to da Sun. da


3 The rotation of the Earth's axis is at degrees from the celestial pole?

The earth's axis of rotation points directly at the celestial pole.


Is there a connection between the earths tilt and the tropics of Capricorn and Cancer?

Yes, the Earth's tilt is responsible for the existence of the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. These lines mark the farthest points north and south where the sun appears directly overhead at least once a year, which is influenced by the tilt of the Earth's axis in relation to its orbit around the sun.


What is the great circle passing through the south point on the horizon the zenith and the north point on the horizon is called?

The great circle passing through these points is called the meridian. It is an imaginary line that runs from the north celestial pole to the south celestial pole, passing through the zenith (overhead point) and intersecting the horizon at the north and south points.


If earth did not rotate could you define the celestial poles and celestial equator?

If Earth did not rotate, the celestial poles would align with the geographic poles, and the celestial equator would align with Earth's equator. The celestial poles are points in the sky that the Earth's axis points towards, and the celestial equator is an imaginary line in the sky directly above the Earth's equator. Without Earth's rotation, these references would be fixed in the sky.


What is the celestial pole?

The celestial pole is the point in the sky directly above the Earth's North or South Pole. The North Celestial Pole is located near the North Star (Polaris), while the South Celestial Pole does not have a bright star near it. Stars appear to rotate around these points due to Earth's rotation.


The place where the extended axis of the Earth would touch the celestial sphere is called the celestial what?

That is also called the axis; the "end-points" of this axis are called the celestial poles.