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In astronomy, coordinate systems are used for specifying positions of celestial objects (satellites, planets, stars, galaxies, etc.) relative to a given reference frame, based on physical reference points available to a situated observer (e.g. the true horizon and north to an observer on Earth's surface). [1]
The Sun's main-sequence phase, from beginning to end, will last about 10 billion years for the Sun compared to around two billion years for all other subsequent phases of the Sun's pre-remnant life combined. [30] The Solar System will remain roughly as it is known today until the hydrogen in the core of the Sun has been entirely converted to ...
One of the oldest fields in astronomy, and in all of science, is the measurement of the positions of celestial objects. Historically, accurate knowledge of the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets and stars has been essential in celestial navigation (the use of celestial objects to guide navigation) and in the making of calendars. [66]: 39
Quadrants are described using ordinals—for example, "1st galactic quadrant", [1] "second galactic quadrant", [2] or "third quadrant of the Galaxy". [3] Viewing from the north galactic pole with 0 degrees (°) as the ray that runs starting from the Sun and through the galactic center, the quadrants are as follows (where l is galactic longitude):
As of November 2017 it is some 116 AU from the Sun (17.34 billion kilometers). [10] It has left the heliosphere and crossed into interstellar space in December 2018. As with Voyager 1, scientists are now using Voyager 2 to learn what the Solar System is like beyond the heliosphere. Launched: 20 August 1977; Destination: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus ...
The distance separating the two planets in the sky will be less than the width of a pinky finger held out at arm's length. The planetary convergence is one of the top astronomy events of 2023.
Each year, Earth passes through the debris trails, and pieces of dust and rock create colorful, fiery displays called meteor showers as they disintegrate in our planet’s atmosphere.
The apex of the Sun's way, or the solar apex, is the direction that the Sun travels through space in the Milky Way. The general direction of the Sun's Galactic motion is towards the star Vega near the constellation of Hercules, at an angle of roughly 60 sky degrees to the direction of the Galactic Center. The Sun's orbit about the Milky Way is ...