Celestial Coordinate

Systems
Star

Position of celestial bodies,

such as stars, may be
defined by its celestial
coordinates under the
following systems:
1. Horizon System (HS)

2. Hour Angle System (HAS)

3. Right Ascension System
(RAS)
4. Ecliptic System (ES)

Equator Systems
Department of Geodetic Engineering
Training Center for Applied Geodesy
and Photogrammetry

GE 12 General Surveying II

The Horizon System

60

Zenith

Observers Celestial
Meridian

NCP
NCP
Almucantar/ Parallel
of Altitude

Stars
Vertical
Circle

West
Point

30
Stars Path

270
South
Point 180
Altitude

(a)
0

Azimuth,

(A)
0 North
Point

90
East
Point

Celestial
Horizon

Nadir

Department of Geodetic Engineering

Training Center for Applied Geodesy
and Photogrammetry

Vertical
Circle

GE 12 General Surveying II

The Horizon System

60

Zenith

Observers Celestial
Meridian

NCP
Almucantar/ Parallel
of Altitude

Stars
Vertical
Circle

East
Point

30
Stars Path

270
South
Point 180
Altitude

(a)
0

Azimuth,

(A)
0 North
Point

90
East
Point

Go to Summary Table

Department of Geodetic Engineering

Training Center for Applied Geodesy
and Photogrammetry

Celestial
Horizon

Nadir

Vertical
Circle

Definition of Terms

GE 12 General Surveying II

The Horizon System

ALTITUDE (H or a) - the angular distance of the body from
the horizon as measured along the vertical circle;
complement of zenith distance
AZIMUTH (Z or A) - the angle, measured clockwise along
the celestial horizon, from the north or south point to the
vertical circle of the star
ZENITH DISTANCE (z) the angular distance between
the zenith and the celestial body measured along the
vertical circle through the body.

Go to Summary Table

Department of Geodetic Engineering

Training Center for Applied Geodesy
and Photogrammetry

Definition of Terms

GE 12 General Surveying II

Summary of Celestial
Coordinate Systems
System

Primary
Horizon System

Hour Angle System

Right Ascension
System
Ecliptic System

Parameters Measured from

the Reference Plane

Reference Plane
Secondary

Primary

Secondary

Celestial Horizon

Observers Celestial
Meridian (half
containing the North
point)

Altitude, (a)
-90a +90
(+toward zenith)

Azimuth, (A)
0 A 360
(+clockwise)

Celestial Equator

Observers Celestial
Meridian (half
containing the zenith)

Declination, ()
-90 +90
(+toward north)

Hour Angle, (h)

0h h 24h
(+clockwise)

Celestial Equator

Equinoctial Colure
(half containing the
vernal equinox)

Declination, ()
-90 +90
(+toward north)

Right Ascension, ()
0h 24h
(+counterclockwise)

Ecliptic

Ecliptic Meridian of
the vernal equinox

Ecliptic Latitude, ()
-90 +90
(+toward north)

Ecliptic Longitude, ()
0 360
(+counterclockwise)

Department of Geodetic Engineering

Training Center for Applied Geodesy
and Photogrammetry

GE 12 General Surveying II

The Hour Angle System

Zenith
Stars
Hour
Circle
Celestial
Parallel

NCP

Observers Celestial
Meridian
60N

24h
Stars Path
Declination,
()

30N

18h
Ho
ur

Hour Circle

Ce
les
tial
Eq

An
gl

uat

6h

e, (
h)

or

SCP

0
12h

30S
60S

Department of Geodetic Engineering

Training Center for Applied Geodesy
and Photogrammetry

GE 12 General Surveying II

The Hour Angle System

Zenith
Stars
Hour
Circle
Celestial
Parallel

NCP

Observers Celestial
Meridian
60N

24h
Stars Path
Declination,
()

30N

18h
Ho
ur

Hour Circle

Ce
les
tial
Eq

An
gl

uat

6h

e, (
h)

or

SCP

0
12h

30S
Definition of Terms

Go to Summary Table
60S

Department of Geodetic Engineering

Training Center for Applied Geodesy
and Photogrammetry

GE 12 General Surveying II

The Hour Angle System

HOUR ANGLE (t or h) - the angle, measured clockwise
along the equatorial plane, from the zenith side of the
celestial meridian (t = 0) to the hour circle of the star
DECLINATION ( or D) - the angular distance, north or
south of the equator, measured along the hour circle from
the equator to the body; complement of polar distance
POLAR DISTANCE (P) - the angular distance between the
pole and the celestial body measured along the hour circle
through the body

Go to Summary Table

Department of Geodetic Engineering

Training Center for Applied Geodesy
and Photogrammetry

Definition of Terms

GE 12 General Surveying II

Summary of Celestial
Coordinate Systems
System

Primary
Horizon System

Hour Angle System

Right Ascension
System
Ecliptic System

Parameters Measured from

the Reference Plane

Reference Plane
Secondary

Primary

Secondary

Celestial Horizon

Observers Celestial
Meridian (half
containing the North
point)

Altitude, (a)
-90a +90
(+toward zenith)

Azimuth, (A)
0 A 360
(+clockwise)

Celestial Equator

Observers Celestial
Meridian (half
containing the zenith)

Declination, ()
-90 +90
(+toward north)

Hour Angle, (h)

0h h 24h
(+clockwise)

Celestial Equator

Equinoctial Colure
(half containing the
vernal equinox)

Declination, ()
-90 +90
(+toward north)

Right Ascension, ()
0h 24h
(+counterclockwise)

Ecliptic

Ecliptic Meridian of
the vernal equinox

Ecliptic Latitude, ()
-90 +90
(+toward north)

Ecliptic Longitude, ()
0 360
(+counterclockwise)

Department of Geodetic Engineering

Training Center for Applied Geodesy
and Photogrammetry

GE 12 General Surveying II

The Right Ascension

System
Zenith

Stars
Hour
Circle

Celestial
Parallel

Equinoctial
Colure
Observers
Celestial
Meridian
60N

NCP

Autumnal
Equinox

24h

12h

18h

Stars Path

Declination,
()

30N

Right
Ascension,
()

18h
Winter
Solstice

Ho
ur

Hour Circle

An
gl

Summer
Solstice
6h

e, (
h)

Ce
les
tial
Equ h
24ato
r

Vernal
Equinox

SCP

Ecliptic
6

12h

30S
60S

Department of Geodetic Engineering

Training Center for Applied Geodesy
and Photogrammetry

GE 12 General Surveying II

The Right Ascension

System
Stars
Hour
Circle

Equinoctial
Colure

NCP

(September 22)

60N

Autumnal
Equinox

Celestial
Parallel

12h

18h

Stars Path

Declination,
()

30N

Right
Ascension,
()

Winter

Solstice
(December 21)

Summer
Solstice

(June 21)

Ce
les
tia

lE

qu
ato
r

Ecliptic
6

24h

Vernal
Equinox

(March 20)
SCP

30S
Definition of Terms

Go to Summary Table
60S

Department of Geodetic Engineering

Training Center for Applied Geodesy
and Photogrammetry

GE 12 General Surveying II

The Right Ascension

System
RIGHT ASCENSION () - the angle between the
equinoctial colure and the hour circle of the star, measured
from the vernal equinox , in the plane of the celestial
equator
DECLINATION ( or D) - the angular distance, north or
south of the equator, measured along the hour circle from
the equator to the body complement of polar distance
POLAR DISTANCE (P) - the angular distance between the
pole and the celestial body measured along the hour circle
through the body
Go to Summary Table

Department of Geodetic Engineering

Training Center for Applied Geodesy
and Photogrammetry

Definition of Terms

GE 12 General Surveying II

Summary of Celestial
Coordinate Systems
System

Primary
Horizon System

Hour Angle System

Right Ascension
System
Ecliptic System

Parameters Measured from

the Reference Plane

Reference Plane
Secondary

Primary

Secondary

Celestial Horizon

Observers Celestial
Meridian (half
containing the North
point)

Altitude, (a)
-90a +90
(+toward zenith)

Azimuth, (A)
0 A 360
(+clockwise)

Celestial Equator

Observers Celestial
Meridian (half
containing the zenith)

Declination, ()
-90 +90
(+toward north)

Hour Angle, (h)

0h h 24h
(+clockwise)

Celestial Equator

Equinoctial Colure
(half containing the
vernal equinox)

Declination, ()
-90 +90
(+toward north)

Right Ascension, ()
0h 24h
(+counterclockwise)

Ecliptic

Ecliptic Meridian of
the vernal equinox

Ecliptic Latitude, ()
-90 +90
(+toward north)

Ecliptic Longitude, ()
0 360
(+counterclockwise)

Department of Geodetic Engineering

Training Center for Applied Geodesy
and Photogrammetry

GE 12 General Surveying II

The Ecliptic System

60

NEP

NCP

Autumnal
Equinox

Ecliptic
Parallel

Winter
Solstice
Ce
les
tia

30

Ecliptic
Longitude,

Ecliptic
Latitude,
()

Ecliptic
Meridian

()
0
Summer
Solstice

lE

qu
ato
r

Ecliptic

Vernal
Equinox

Obliquity of
the Ecliptic

SEP
Ecliptic Meridian of the
Vernal Equinox

Department of Geodetic Engineering

Training Center for Applied Geodesy
and Photogrammetry

GE 12 General Surveying II

The Ecliptic System

60

NEP

NCP

Autumnal
Equinox

Ecliptic
Parallel

Ecliptic
Meridian

30

180

Winter
Solstice

Ecliptic
Longitude,

Ecliptic
Latitude,
()

270

90
Ce
les
tia

lE

qu
ato
r

SEP
Ecliptic Meridian of the
Vernal Equinox

Department of Geodetic Engineering

Training Center for Applied Geodesy
and Photogrammetry

0
Summer
Solstice

Ecliptic

Vernal
Equinox

Go to Summary Table

()

Obliquity of
the Ecliptic

Definition of Terms

GE 12 General Surveying II

The Ecliptic System

ECLIPTIC LATITUDE () - the angular distance, measured
along the ecliptic meridian of the star, between the ecliptic
and the direction of the star
ECLIPTIC LONGITUDE () - the angle measured
counterclockwise along the ecliptic, measured from the
vernal equinox , to the ecliptic meridian of the star
ECLIPTIC POLAR DISTANCE - the complement of the
ecliptic latitude

Go to Summary Table

Department of Geodetic Engineering

Training Center for Applied Geodesy
and Photogrammetry

Definition of Terms

GE 12 General Surveying II

Summary of Celestial
Coordinate Systems
System

Primary
Horizon System

Hour Angle System

Right Ascension
System
Ecliptic System

Parameters Measured from

the Reference Plane

Reference Plane
Secondary

Primary

Secondary

Celestial Horizon

Observers Celestial
Meridian (half
containing the North
point)

Altitude, (a)
-90a +90
(+toward zenith)

Azimuth, (A)
0 A 360
(+clockwise)

Celestial Equator

Observers Celestial
Meridian (half
containing the zenith)

Declination, ()
-90 +90
(+toward north)

Hour Angle, (h)

0h h 24h
(+clockwise)

Celestial Equator

Equinoctial Colure
(half containing the
vernal equinox)

Declination, ()
-90 +90
(+toward north)

Right Ascension, ()
0h 24h
(+counterclockwise)

Ecliptic

Ecliptic Meridian of
the vernal equinox

Ecliptic Latitude, ()
-90 +90
(+toward north)

Ecliptic Longitude, ()
0 360
(+counterclockwise)

Department of Geodetic Engineering

Training Center for Applied Geodesy
and Photogrammetry

GE 12 General Surveying II