Latitude and the celebrities
On lots of EarthSky’s articles concerning the night time sky, you’ll see a notice suggesting for a exact view out of your location attempt Stellarium Online. That’s as a result of the sky encircles all of Earth. And your location on the globe – or extra particularly your latitude – determines which a part of this encircling sky you’re capable of see. In the meantime, your longitude doesn’t a lot decide what you see as when you’ll see it.
Beneath are some charts displaying the sky dome from totally different latitudes.
Sky view from the North Pole: 90 levels N latitude
In case you’re standing on the North Pole, you’ll see the complete northern half of the celestial sphere seen each single night time, besides within the season of the midnight sun. That’s as a result of the celestial pole is at your zenith, or overhead level. The celebs don’t rise or set, however as an alternative transfer round your sky, parallel to one another and parallel to the horizon.
Within the language of astronomy, from Earth’s North Pole, all seen stars are circumpolar stars. Circumpolar stars by no means rise or set however as an alternative circle endlessly across the pole star. Any star above the horizon can be seen all night time (or all day and night time if it’s winter, when the sun by no means rises).
A star trail photo taken from the North Pole exhibits all the celebrities tracing circles across the middle level overhead.
Sky view from 30 levels N latitude
At Earth’s northerly latitudes, the North Star, Polaris, lies someplace between your zenith and your northern horizon. It lies at a peak above your northern horizon that’s equal to your latitude. In different phrases, from 30 degrees N. latitude, Polaris lies 30 levels above due north.
So any star or constellation inside 30 degrees of Polaris is circumpolar and visual all night time.
In the meantime, to the south, part of the southern sky – the half under the celestial equator (indicated by the yellow line on the charts on this web page) – is now in view.
Sky view from the equator: 0 Latitude
In case you are on the equator, you may see all stars seen from all elements of Earth over the course of a 12 months. The celestial equator sweeps overhead and goes by means of your zenith, or overhead level.
All the celebrities make nice arcs throughout your sky, parallel to the celestial equator and to one another. There aren’t any circumpolar stars as seen from the equator. That’s as a result of the north and south celestial poles can’t be seen. They’re in your northern and southern horizon.
Sky view from 30 levels S latitude
There isn’t a vivid southern pole star. However, at Earth’s southerly latitudes, the south celestial pole – some extent on the sky’s dome instantly above Earth’s south pole – lies someplace between your zenith and your southern horizon. It lies at a peak above your southern horizon that’s equal to your latitude. In different phrases, from 30 degrees S. latitude, the south celestial pole lies 30 levels above due south.
So any star or constellation inside 30 degrees of the south celestial pole is circumpolar and visual all night time.
In the meantime, to the north, part of the north sky – the half above the celestial equator (indicated by the yellow line on the charts on this web page) – is now in view.
Sky view from the South Pole: 90 levels S latitude
In case you’re standing on the South Pole, you’ll see the complete southern half of the celestial sphere seen each single night time, besides within the season of the midnight sun. That’s as a result of the celestial pole is at your zenith, or overhead level. The celebs don’t rise or set, however as an alternative transfer round your sky, parallel to one another and parallel to the horizon.
Within the language of astronomy, from Earth’s South Pole, all seen stars are circumpolar stars. Circumpolar stars by no means rise or set, however as an alternative circle endlessly across the pole star. Any star above the horizon can be seen all night time (or all day and night time if it’s winter, when the sun by no means rises).
A star path photograph taken from the South Pole will present all the celebrities tracing circles across the middle level overhead.
Backside line: See charts displaying how the sky dome adjustments by latitude and the celebrities which can be then seen within the sky.
