Altazimuth coordinate system
altazimuth coordinate system
altazimuth coordinate system
(āl-tāz’ə-məth)
the coordinate system in which a celestial object’s position is described in terms of its alt-tude and azimuth. like celestial lat-tude and longitude, and declination and right ascension, the alt-tude and azimuth coordinates are used to map objects in the sky. unlike the other two systems, which are oriented to fixed features of the celestial sphere, the altazimuth system is based solely on an observer’s location on the earth, making it the most practical system for use in celestial navigation or surveying. alt-tude can be determined using a s-xtant, and calculation of an observer’s geographic location can then be determined using a chronometer and tables of star positions contained in a special almanac. compare ecliptic coordinate system, equatorial coordinate system.
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