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In astronomy, there is also a heliocentric rectangular variant of equatorial coordinates, designated x, y, z, which has: The origin at the centre of the Sun. The fundamental plane in the plane of the Earth's equator. The primary direction (the x axis) toward the March equinox.
The equatorial describes the sky as seen from the Solar System, and modern star maps almost exclusively use equatorial coordinates. The equatorial system is the normal coordinate system for most professional and many amateur astronomers having an equatorial mount that follows the movement of the sky during the night. Celestial objects are found ...
By extension, it is also a plane of reference in the equatorial coordinate system. In other words, the celestial equator is an abstract projection of the terrestrial equator into outer space . [ 1 ]
Heliocentric coordinate systems measure spatial positions relative to an origin at the Sun's center. There are four systems in use: the heliocentric inertial (HCI) system, the heliocentric Aries ecliptic (HAE) system, the heliocentric Earth ecliptic (HEE) system, and the heliocentric Earth equatorial (HEEQ) system.
When paired with declination, these astronomical coordinates specify the location of a point on the celestial sphere in the equatorial coordinate system. An old term, right ascension ( Latin : ascensio recta ) [ 2 ] refers to the ascension , or the point on the celestial equator that rises with any celestial object as seen from Earth 's equator ...
The equatorial coordinate system on the celestial sphere. Star position is the apparent angular position of any given star in the sky, which seems fixed onto an arbitrary sphere centered on Earth. The location is defined by a pair of angular coordinates relative to the celestial equator: right ascension (α) and declination (δ).
The primary elements of spherical astronomy are celestial coordinate systems and time. The coordinates of objects on the sky are listed using the equatorial coordinate system, which is based on the projection of Earth's equator onto the celestial sphere.
Astronomical coordinate systems have varying fundamental planes: [2] The horizontal coordinate system uses the observer's horizon. The Besselian coordinate system uses Earth's terminator (day/night boundary). [3] This is a Cartesian coordinate system (x, y, z). The equatorial coordinate system uses the celestial equator.