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Positions in the sky are measured by angles. The simplest is the altitude, the angle above the horizon, and the azimuth, the direction measured running eastwards from north. There are other systems but always two coordinates are needed to specify a direction.

Star positions are measured with a transit-circle, which always faces exactly south, and the stars are timed as they cross the meridian. The altitude gives the star's declination in degrees and the time gives the right-ascension in hours and minutes after a standard direction known as the First Point of Aries has passed.

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