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zenith
(redirected from Astronomy zenith)

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Wikipedia 0.02 sec.
zenith, in astronomy, the point in the sky directly overhead; more precisely, it is the point at which the celestial sphere celestial sphere, imaginary sphere of infinite radius with the earth at its center. It is used for describing the positions and motions of stars and other objects.
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 is intersected by an upward extension of a plumb line from the observer's location. Its position in the sky thus depends on the direction of the earth's gravitational field at the observer's location. The zenith is a reference point in the altazimuth coordinate system altazimuth coordinate system or horizon coordinate system, astronomical coordinate system in which the position of a body on the celestial sphere is described relative to an observer's celestial horizon and zenith.
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; its altitude above the celestial horizon is 90°. The angular distance from the zenith to a celestial body is called the zenith distance. The nadir, directly opposite the zenith, has a zenith distance of 180°; the celestial horizon has a zenith distance of 90°.
zenith
Astronomy the point on the celestial sphere vertically above an observer

zenith [′zē·nəth]
(astronomy)
That point of the celestial sphere vertically overhead.


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