Which coordinates should be used to record where a star is found on the Celestial sphere
Declination and right ascension
To record where a star is found on the Celestial sphere, astronomers use celestial coordinates, which are similar to terrestrial coordinates used on Earth. There are two types of celestial coordinates, Right Ascension (RA) and Declination (Dec), that are used to locate an object in the sky precisely.
Right Ascension measures the angular distance of a star eastward along the celestial equator from the vernal equinox, which is one of the two points where the celestial equator intersects the ecliptic. The measurement is made in hours, minutes, and seconds, with a full circle of 360 degrees divided into 24 hours.
Declination, on the other hand, measures the angular distance between the star and the celestial equator, measured in degrees, minutes, and seconds. Declination can be positive or negative depending on whether it is north or south of the celestial equator.
Therefore, to locate a star on the Celestial sphere, we need to use both Right Ascension and Declination coordinates. These coordinates are analogous to the longitude and latitude coordinates used on Earth and can be used to pinpoint a star’s location with precision.
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