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Diagram showing the relationship between the zenith, the nadir, and different types of horizon.Note that the zenith is opposite the nadir. The nadir [a] [b] is the direction pointing directly below a particular location; that is, it is one of two vertical directions at a specified location, orthogonal to a horizontal flat surface.
The astronomical meridian is also determined by the zenith, and is defined as a circle on the celestial sphere that passes through the zenith, nadir, and the celestial poles. A zenith telescope is a type of telescope designed to point straight up at or near the zenith, and used for precision measurement of star positions, to simplify telescope ...
Zenith, nadir: Altitude (a) or elevation Azimuth (A) North or south point of horizon Equatorial: Center of the Earth (geocentric), or Sun (heliocentric) Celestial equator: Celestial poles: Declination (δ) Right ascension (α) or hour angle (h) March equinox: Ecliptic: Ecliptic: Ecliptic poles: Ecliptic latitude (β) Ecliptic longitude (λ ...
Thus, where the zenith is directly above an observer, the nadir is underfoot. The zenith and nadir form the two poles of the horizon line. naked eye. Also bare eye or unaided eye. The human eye as used without any magnifying or light-collecting optical aid, such as a telescope, nor any eye protection.
In astronomy, the meridian is the great circle passing through the celestial poles, as well as the zenith and nadir of an observer's location. Consequently, it contains also the north and south points on the horizon , and it is perpendicular to the celestial equator and horizon.
Horizontal coordinates use a celestial sphere centered on the observer. Azimuth is measured eastward from the north point (sometimes from the south point) of the horizon; altitude is the angle above the horizon.
The solar zenith angle is the zenith angle of the sun, i.e., the angle between the sun’s rays and the vertical direction. It is the complement to the solar altitude or solar elevation, which is the altitude angle or elevation angle between the sun’s rays and a horizontal plane.
A satellite ground track may be thought of as a path along the Earth's surface that traces the movement of an imaginary line between the satellite and the center of the Earth. In other words, the ground track is the set of points at which the satellite will pass directly overhead, or cross the zenith, in the frame of reference of a ground observer.