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The celestial equator always crosses the horizon at the east point and west point?
This is true. The celestial equator ... the line of zero declination ... crosses the horizon due east and due west. However, the ecliptic ... the apparent path of the sun through the stars ... is inclined to the celestial equator, and can hit the horizon anywhere within 23.5 degrees north or south of the east-west directions, depending on the time of day and day of the year.
What else can I help you with?
Does The celestial equator always pass directly overhead?
No, the celestial equator does not always pass directly overhead. The position of the celestial equator in the sky is determined by the observer's latitude on Earth. If the observer is located at the equator, the celestial equator will pass directly overhead. However, for observers at different latitudes, the celestial equator will appear at an angle to the horizon.
How far from zenith is the celestial equator when it crosses the celestial?
The angle between the celestial equator and your personal zenith is equal to the latitude of your location. (Whether it's north or south latitude doesn't matter, and neither does your longitude or the time of day or night where you are.)
Where would the ecliptic be in the northern hemisphere?
This is difficult to describe in text, without sketches, but I'll try: -- First, the 'equator' of the sky: That's a line all around the sky that's exactly over the Earth's equator. In your sky, wherever you are, this 'celestial' equator is a semi-circle from the exactly-east point on your horizon to the exactly-west point. Its highest point is due south of you, and at that point, its height above your southern horizon is (90 degrees minus your latitude). If you're on the equator, then the celestial equator passes right over your head. If you're at the north pole, then the celestial equator coincides with your horizon. If you're in Minneapolis, Salem OR, Bangor, Grenoble, Torino, or Belgrade, at 45° north latitude, then it passes 45° above your south horizon. -- The highest of the 3 stars in Orion's belt is on the celestial equator. -- The ecliptic is another line all the way around the sky. It crosses the celestial equator at two places, and it's tilted 231/2 degrees to the equator. So half of the ecliptic is above (north) of the equator, and the other half of it is below the sky's equator. -- Through the day, as the Earth turns, one of the two points where the ecliptic crosses the equator will be in your sky at any one time. The ecliptic will appear high in your sky for half of the day, and low in the sky for the other half. The point where it crosses directly south of you will wiggle up and down through a total of 47 degrees in 24 hours. -- The left pincher of Scorpius and the heart of Leo (Regulus) are on the ecliptic. The eye of Taurus (Aldeberan) is not too far off of it. The ecliptic is actually the line where the plane of Earth's orbit cuts through the 'bowl' of the sky. Some of the results are: -- The sun is always on the ecliptic. -- The planets are always close to the ecliptic. Now, in mid-2013, Jupiter is smack on it. -- The moon is always within about 51/2 degrees of the ecliptic. -- In Summer, the sun is high, so the ecliptic ... with the moon and planets ... is low during the night. -- In Winter, the sun is low, so the ecliptic ... with the moon and planets ... is high during the night. Remember those two points where the ecliptic crosses the celestial equator ? Those points in the sky are the 'equinoxes'. Those points are where the sun is on March 21 and September 21.
What constellations are seen in the southern US the best?
You can see most constellations from there; except for a few that are so far south that they are constantly under the horizon. If you live "x" degrees north of the equator, then any stars in a region "x" degrees from the celestial south pole will always be under the horizon for you.
What is the angle between the zenith and North celestial pole if you are at 37 degrees latitude?
If your latitude is 39 degrees north, then the north celestial poleis 39 degrees above your northern horizon.If your latitude is 39 degrees south, then the north celestial poleis 39 degrees below your northern horizon.
Why cannot see all constellations?
If you were on the Equator you would see all of them. Otherwise it depends where you live. I live in New Zealand at latitude 35° S. So I can't see any northern stars closer than 35° to the North Celestial Pole. If you live in the north at say 35°N, then you wouldn't see those stars which are closer than 35° to the South Celestial Pole.
If earth's axis wasn't tilted would the poles be colder than the equator?
No, they would not. The sun would reach the overhead point at the equator but would always be at the horizon at the poles.
What is a stars location determined by?
Astronomers use the coordinate system of RA right ascension also called hour angle, and Declination (Dec)RA is the celestial equivalent of terrestrial longitude. Both RA and longitude measure an east-west angle along the equator; and both measure from a zero point on the equator. For longitude, the zero point is the Prime Meridian; for RA, the zero point is known as the First Point of Aries, which is the place in the sky where the Sun crosses the celestial equator at the March equinox. RA is always zero on the meridian of the celestial sphere which passes through the celestial poles and first point of Aries. Declination is comparable to latitude, projected onto the celestial sphere, and is measured in degrees north and south of thecelestial equator. Therefore, points north of the celestial equator have positive declinations, while those to the south have negative declinations. * An object on the celestial equator has a dec of 0°. * An object at the celestial north pole has a dec of +90°. * An object at the celestial south pole has a dec of −90°.
How is the altitude of the North Celestial Pole above the northern horizon related to the observer's latitude?
The altitude of the North Celestial Pole above the northern horizon is equal to the observer's latitude. This means that the higher the observer's latitude, the higher the North Celestial Pole will appear in the sky. For example, an observer at a latitude of 45 degrees will see the North Celestial Pole 45 degrees above the northern horizon.
From what location on Earth is the The celestial equator not visible?
The north celestial pole is not visible from any point on Earth's surface south of the equator. This is always true. The north celestial pole is the point in the sky directly above the Earth's north pole. Even though the north celestial poles moves about in the sky, it remains invisible everywhere in the southern hemisphere. The north celestial pole moves around in a circle in the sky as the Earth's axis wobbles. Each wobble takes about 23 thousand years.
What is the angle of Polaris above Fairbanks Alaska?
Fairbanks is located at latitude 64.8 degrees north, so the north celestial pole is always 64.8 degrees above the horizon. Polaris itself is presently about 0.7 degrees from the celestial pole, so its altitude above the horizon will vary between 64.1 and 65.5 degrees during the course of a sidereal day.
Where should you look to always see the moon in New Hampshire?
In order to see any celestial object you must look above the horizon in the general direction usually refereed to as 'up'.
