Celestial Coordinate Systems

HAS Novice Presentation

Feb 3, 2009
Justin McCollum
Five Common or Established Coordinate Systems in Use:
Horizontal (Altitude & Azimuth)
Equatorial (Declination & Right Ascension / Hour Angle)
Ecliptic (Own Latitude & Longitude)
Galactic & Supergalactic
 Horizontal Coordinate System

The common system

used by Amateurs
who use Dobson
telescopes!
A simple coordinate
system for
determining location
at Sea in the days
before Radio &
Satellites!
It also predates the
Besselian and Julian
years (B1900, B1950,
J2000 epochs)!
Used for references in
time in giving out
orbital elements for
celestial bodies!
 Horizontal Coordinate System

Two coordinates in
the system: 0º
- Azimuth (along the
horizon regardless of 0º (horizon)
the location on the
Earth)
- Azimuth (starting to
the North and going 90º
in a clockwise 270º
direction)
- Altitude (measuring 90º
the angle of position
in the sky w.r.t. the Overhead
ground!)
- Altitude (0º at the
horizon to 90º
directly overhead)!
180º
 Horizontal Coordinate System

Applicable to all the

cardinal directions 0º
naturally found on a
compass!
Common
terminology Meridian
associated with this
system:
90º
- Cardinal 270º
Pts. Zenith
- Zenith
- Nadir Nadir is opposite to
Zenith!
- Meridian
Some Dobson
telescopes have
tracking capability
180º
using this system!
 Horizontal Coordinate System

For the Azimuth:

Each cardinal NNE 0º NNW
direction 22º30 337º30’
corresponds to a NE ’ NW
particular θ angle! 45º 315º
1º = 60’ or ENE 67º30 292º30’ WNW
60 arcminutes! Zenith
’
90º
In For
terms
theofAltitude:
Azimuth: 270º
80º
70º
0ºThe
to 180º
range(Nin– angles
E – S) a 60º
celestial
goes from
object
0º to
is 90º!
rising. 50º
ESE 112º30 40º 247º30 WSW
180º
The
to Horizon
360º (S –atW0º– N) ’ 20º30º ’
a celestial object is 135º 225º
The Zenith at 90º 10º SW
setting. SE
0º 157º30 202º30’
SSW
SSE
’ 180º
 Horizontal Coordinate System

Locating Celestial
objects in the night
sky using this
Coordinate System
requires 3 things.
Date/Time
Time based on UT or
Local Time Zone.
Coordinates on the
Surface of the Earth.
Location
(Lat. & Long.)
Then locating an
object by Alt./Az.
Location: George Observatory, Brazos Bend State Park, TX, US
System
Date: 2/3/2009
17:43:00Time:
14:43:00 CST
Long. (29º22’30” N) Lat. (95º35’37” W)

32º41’18”/ 99º25’21”
Alt./Az. → 70º45’43”/ 78º47’37”
 Equatorial Coordinate System

The Equatorial
Coordinate system is
useful with any
telescope that has a
drive system that can
exploit it!
Examples: Refractors
and Reflectors that
equatorial – based
drive systems.
Most widely used
systems applied to
Star Atlases.
The use and
application of Hour
Angles.
 Equatorial Coordinate System

Common terminology
associated with this
system:
- Celestial North
Poles Celestial
Pole
- Celestial
Equator
- Declination
- Right
Ascension
- Hour Angle
Declination (dec or
δ) as the latitude!
Right Ascension (R.A.
or α) also known as
the Hour Angle (H.A.)!
 Equatorial Coordinate System

North Celestial Pole (δ

= 90º, α = 0 hr)
South Celestial Pole (δ
= -90º, α = 0 hr) North
Celestial Equator Celestial
divides the celestial Pole
sphere into 2
hemispheres!
(δ = 0º)
Celestial Objects
maintain a fixed position
in the celestial sphere
using this coordinate
system!
Only changes over long
periods of time due to
precession and
nutation!
 Equatorial Coordinate System

Right Ascension
The Plane of the
Ecliptic (Plane of
the Solar System) North
and the Celestial 80º
Celestial
Equator are 70º Pole
60º
separated by 23.5º! 50º
40º
Also the axial tilt of 30º
the Earth (23º 26’)! 20º
10º
Ecliptic and 0º
Celestial Equator
-10º
do intersect at two
positions of RA in -20º

the night sky: -30º

These are known as -40º

the Equinoxes! -50º
 Equatorial Coordinate System

Equinoxes occur when

the Earth’s axis is neither
pointing to the Sun or way
from it!
North
Vernal Equinox Celestial
80º
During the Spring on 70º Pole
60º
March 20 or 21!
50º
R.A. = 0 h 40º
30º
Autumnal Equinox 20º

During the Fall on Sept 10º

0º
22 or 23!
-10º
R.A. = 12 h
-20º
It is on those dates that
-30º
the Sun is located at
either equinox on the -40º
meridian at mid-day!
-50º
Equatorial Coordinate System

R.A. increases to
the East and 5h
4h 6h 7h8h 9h
decreases to the 3h 10h
11h
West! North
2h
0h R.A. line lies 80º Celestial 12h
in the East End 70º Pole
60º
of the Great Vernal
50º Equinox
1h
Square of 40º
Pegasus! 30º0h 13h
20º
This is known as 10º
0h
the Prime 23h 14h
22h 21h 15h
Meridian! -10º 20h 19h 18h 17h 16h

12h R.A. line lies -20º Denebola

to the East of -30º
Denebola (the
-40º
Eastern end of Autumnal Equinox
-50º
Leo)! 12h
 Equatorial Coordinate System

Declination is measured
by degrees, arcminutes,
5h
and arcseconds 4h 6h 7h8h 9h
3h 10h
(º ‘ “)!
11h
1º = 60’ = 3600” 2h
R.A. is divided into 80º 12h
hours, minutes, and 70º
seconds similar to 60º
Sidereal Time! 50º
1h
40º
1h = 60m = 3600s
30º 13h
Every 2 hrs of R.A. is 20º
separated by 15º! 10º
0h
With 24hrs of R.A. all 23h 14h
22h 21h 15h
together that -10º 20h 19h 18h 17h 16h
corresponds to a
complete 360º turn of -20º
every celestial object
-30º
about the entire celestial
hemisphere! -40º

-50º
 Equatorial Coordinate System

This includes even the

Sun which also shifts
across the entire
celestial hemisphere (a
complete 360º) in all
24hrs of R.A.
This is in match with
sidereal time which is
the time it takes a NCP
particular location on
the Earth to rotate about
the Earth’s Axis!
Trail of Polaris
Exact Sidereal Day
23 h 56 m 4.09 s
This also matches with
Diurnal motion which is
the apparent daily
motion of the stars
about the celestial poles
across the celestial
hemisphere!
 Equatorial Coordinate System

Hour Angle (H.A.) is For Any Object: HA = LST – α

an alternative to R.A.
LST (Local Sidereal Time)
as the longitude
coordinate. Sun use Solar HA which is
expressed in degrees!
However with Hour
Solar Noon the SHA = 0.0º
Angles the values go
from 0 to -6 from the Morning: negative SHA
Meridian to the Afternoon: Positive SHA
Eastern horizon.
-6h 6h
0 to +6 from the
3h -5h 5h 15h
Meridian to the 4h
-4h 16h
Western horizon. 2h -3h 3h
1h -2h -1h 0h 1h 2h 17h
0h
24 hrs of H.A. and 23h 22h 21h 20h 19h 18h

each hr is divided up
into mins & secs just
like with R.A. !
The H.A.s are
seperated by 15º!
Equatorial Coordinate System
Find an object
using this
coordinate system!
Example: M42
Orion Nebula
Using Dec/RA
coordinates

Location: George Observatory, Brazos Bend State Park, TX, US

Date: 2/4/2009 Time: 19:30:00 CST
Long. (29º22’30” N) Lat. (95º35’37” W)
J2000(of date) Dec/RA: -5º26’41”/5h 35m 51s
Az/Alt: 145º31’21”/49º 24’ 40”
Hour Angle: -1h 26m 25s
 Ecliptic Coordinate System

Celestial Equator is a projection of

the Earth’s equator on the Celestial
sphere.
β
Ecliptic equator is a projection of the 225º 180º 135º
Earth’s orbit (the plane of the solar
system) on the Celestial sphere. 90º

Ecliptic Poles are both perpendicular 270º

to the plane of the ecliptic. 315º

0º λ 45º

Coordinates: Ecliptic Latitude

(β from 0º to 90º)
Ecliptic Longitude (λ from 0º to
360º)
Origin starts at the Vernal equinox
heading Eastwards!
Very useful in computing the
positions and charting bodies within
the Solar System!
Galactic Coordinate System

A Coordinate system that is centered on the Sun that is aligned with the apparent center of the
Milky Way!
This coordinate system is appropriate for measuring objects far from our local celestial
neighborhood and nearby galaxies!
Since all objects are moving with the Sun with the same apparent motion of orbital velocity
around the center of the Galaxy!
The Galactic Equator is aligned on the plane of the Milky Way!
Galactic Longitude (l) & Galactic Latitude (b)
 Galactic Coordinate System

Galactic Longitude 90º towards

the constellation Cygnus

Galactic Longitude 180º towards

the constellation Auriga
Galactic Longitude 0º towards
the constellation Sagittarius

Galactic Longitude 270º towards

the constellation Vela

Galactic
‘Anti-Center’ Note: This Coordinate System is unique since it is in
perspective to our Sun being the vertex or origin of this system
and not the ‘True Galactic Center’!
 Galactic Coordinate System
Galactic Prime Meridian
(l = 0º)

Galactic Equator
(b = 0º)

Sagittarius A*

l = 90º
l = 270º

l = 180º l = 180º
 Galactic Coordinate System

12h 51m 26.282s

+27º 07’ 42.01”
(b = 90º)
“GC”

17h 45m 37.224s

-28º 56’ 10.23”
25 900 ± 1400 lys
112.7 ± 1.8 lys (b = 0º, l = 0º)

(J2000) Epoch

Sagittarius A* is not the true galactic center since it is slightly offset!

True Galactic Center: 17h 45m 37.224s, -28º 56’ 10.23” (b = 0º, l = 0 º)
Sagittarius A* location: 17h 45m 40.04”, -29º 00’ 28.1” (b = -0º 2’ 46.2” , l = 359º 56’ 39.4”)
Some facts about this system: Our Sun lies about 112.7±1.8 lys above the galactic plane!
The Sun is located ~25 900 ± 1400 lys from the galactic center!
Also the plane of the ecliptic is at an arc of (0.232 ± 0.02)º above the
galactic plane!
Galactic Coordinate System
Galactic Equator

P.A.: φ = 122.932º

Zero of Galactic Longitude is at Position Angle 122.932º which is angle of separation between the Earth’s
Equatorial plane & the galactic equator!
 Galactic Coordinate System
Finding distant objects using this Coordinate System!

Abell 21 “Medusa Nebula”

PK 205+14.1

“Headphones Nebula”
PK 164+31.1
M97 “Owl Nebula”
PK 148+57.1
M15
Common catalogue is the
“PK or Perek – Kohoutek” Galactic
Catalogue of Planetary Nebulae Longitude (l) Pease 1
consisting of 1455 objects! PK 065 - 27.1

Owl Nebula: 11h 14m 48s/+55º 1’

Galactic
l = 148º / b = 57º 6’ Latitude (b)
Super Galactic Coordinate System

Much like the Galactic Coordinate system

where as the equator lies on a
‘SUPERGALACTIC’ EQUATOR!
Recognized by Gérard de Vaucouleurs in
1953 by application of the
Shapley-Ames Catalogue of 1246 bright
galaxies!
Supergalactic Longitude referred to as SGB
Supergalactic Latitude referred to as SGL
SG North Pole (SGB = 90º) at galactic
coordinates 47.37+6.32 &
equatorial coordinates (epoch J2000)
RA: 18h 54m , Dec: 15º 42’
The Zero Point in this system where
(SGB = 0º , SGL = 0º) at galactic
coordinates (l = 137º22’ 12” , b = 0º) &
Gérard de Vaucouleurs
equatorial coordinates (epoch J2000)
RA: 2h 49m 12s, Dec: 59º 30”
Super Galactic Coordinate System
SGL +90º

The Super Galactic Super Galactic NP

SP lies in the
Latitude (SGL) angles constellation of Aquila
Canis Minor
to the to
NEthe
of
SGL -67.5º
NEta
of Aquilae!
Procyon!

SGL -45º

SGL -22.5º

SGL 0º

SGL -22.5º

SGL -45º

The Super Galactic

SGL -67.5º Latitude Prime Meridian
(SGB = 0º)

SGL -90º

Note: SGB angles on the Red line stretching almost horizontal from Pavo (The
Peacock) from the Right across this map to just past Andromeda to the Left!
 Super Galactic Coordinate System

Abell 2162

Abell 3526

Abell 2162 is located in the Constellation Corona Borealis

at RA/Dec: 16h 24m/+37º SGL = 77º , SGB = +50º
Abell 3526 is located in the Constellation of Centaurus at
RA/Dec: 12h 48m 51.8s/-41º 18’ 21” SGL = 148º , SGB = -8º
Perseus-Pisces Supercluster is located near the Perseus-
Andromeda
Although theregion of the night sky
SG Coordinate at RA/Dec:
system can 2hbe
30m/-32º
used
to find
SGL = 341º / SGB = -8º
individual galaxies relatively close to the Milky Way (up
to 100 million lys) it is the preferred method in mapping
clusters and superclusters of galaxies!
 Keplerian Coordinate System
Known for his 3 laws of
planetary motion!
Primarily used to
determine the coordinates
and map the orbits of all
bodies in the Solar
System!

Keplerian Coordinates

a semi-major axis of the ellipse – half of the major axis True anomaly: angle z-s-p
of an elliptical orbit
Mean Anomaly: angle z-c-y
e eccentricity of the ellipse – where 1 is a straight line
Eccentric Anomaly: angle z-c-x
and 0 is a perfect circle
i inclination of the orbital plane – angle between the Eccentric Anomaly: The angle E
orbital plane and a reference plane between the direction of the
Ω longitude of the ascending node – angle between line periapsis and the current
of nodes and the zero point of longitude in the position of the object on its
reference plane orbit!
ω argument of the pericenter – angle from ascending
node to the body in the orbital plane
Mean Anomaly: The angle M – a
measure of time measured in
v (or f) true anomaly – location of planet from distance degrees between passages at
closest to star (assuming a true circular orbit)
periapsis as a fraction of that
Johannes Kepler
orbital (1610)
period!
 Keplerian Coordinate System

Saturn Ceres
Keplerian Coordinates Saturn Ceres
1,443 million km 414.7 million km
a
(9.58 AU) (2.77 AU)

e 0.055 7 0.079 8

2.485º
I 10.587º
(5.51º w.r.t. Sun’s Equator)

Ω 113.642º 80.407º

Mean Anomaly* 320.347º 108.509º

*There is not much difference in terminology between the true & mean anomalies expect that the mean anomaly
changes linearly over time and does not pertain to any geometric angle in an elliptical orbit!
 Now to you know how to locate & map
objects in the night sky from the solar
system to the edge of the known universe!

THE END