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Math 2005, Lectured by Dr Aye Pyone 2.11. 2021

Text: [3] Smart, W. M. & Greence. R., (1986) Text-Book on Spherical Astronomy,
Cambridge University Press
1. Introduction

 In astronomy, the celestial sphere is an abstract sphere that has an arbitrarily large radius
and is concentric to Earth.
 Spherical astronomy is a branch of observational astronomy used to locate astronomical
objects on the celestial sphere, as seem at a particular date, time and location on Earth.
 Astronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena.
 The foundation of spherical astronomy is the geometry of the sphere.
2. The Spherical Triangle

 Any plane passing through the center of the sphere cuts the surface in a circle which is
called a great circle.
 Any plane intersecting the sphere but not passing through center will cuts the surface in a
circle which is called a small circle.
 Let QOP be the diameter of the sphere perpendicular to the plane the great circle EAB.
 Let R be any point in OP and suppose a plane drawn through R parallel to the plane of EAB
is called a small circle FCD. OP FCD
 P and Q are called poles.
 Now let PCAQ be any great circle passing through the poles P and Q and intersecting the
small circle FCD and great circle EAB in C and A respectively.
 Similarly, PDB is part of another great circle passing through P and Q.
 When any two great circles intersect at a point they are said to include a spherical angle.
 A spherical angle is the angle between two intersecting arcs of great circle on a sphere.
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 Consider the two great circles PA and PB intersecting at P. Draw PS and PT, the tangents to
the circumferences of PA and PB respectively.
 PT is parallel to OB. Similarly, PS OA
 ̂ ̂ (spherical angle)
 Thus, ̂ ̂ ̂
 A spherical triangle is a figure formed on the surface of a sphere by three great circle arcs
intersecting pairwise in three vertices.
 IF the sphere has radius R, so will all its great circles; so the length of an arc is exactly R
times the radian measure of the central angle it interests.[ https://www.math.stonybrook.edu
› archive › spher-trig]
 For example: If AY is one-eighth of the circumference of the complete great circle through
A and Y, then

 By the definition of spherical triangle, no side can be equal or greater than

 For example, in spherical triangle PAB,
length of arc PA = length of PB = radian
3. Length of a small circle arc
Consider in Fig. 1, the small circle arc CD. Its length is given by
̂ (1)
Also, the length of the spherical arc AB is given by
̂ (2)
Since the plane of FCD is parallel to the plane of EAB,
̂ ̂ since &
̂
̂

since radii of sphere

̂

̂
̂ since
Since AOC is the angle subtended at the center of the sphere by the great circle arc AC,

(3)
Q. Derive the formula for the length of a small circle arc CD.
4. Terrestial latitude and longitude
PQ = Diameter, P = north pole, Q = south pole
 The great circle whose plane is perpendicular to PQ is called the equator.
 Any semi-great circle terminated by P and Q is a meridian.
 PGKQ is Greenwich meridian (principal or standard meridian)
 PHLQ is a meridian
 K ̂ L = longitude of PHQ
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 ̂ equatorial arc KL = ̂ (spherical angle)

 Longitude are measured from to east of the Greenwich meridian and from to
west
 Thus, Fig. 2, the longitude of the meridian PHQ is about east (E) and that of the meridian
PMQ is about west (W).
 All places on the same meridian have the same longitude
 Consider a place J on the meridian PHQ. The meridian through J cuts the equator in L and ̂ ,
or the great circle arc LJ, is called the latitude of J
 If J is between the equator and the north pole, the latitude is said to be north latitude (N); if R
is between the equator and south pole Q, is said to be south latitude (S)
Let latitude of J; then
̂
Since OP is perpendicular to the plane of the equator, ̂
spherical arc PJ = ̂ = colatitude of J
Colatitude latitude
 All places which have the same latitude lie on a small circle parallel to the equator, called a
parallel of latitude
 Thus all places with the same latitude as Greenwich lie on the same circle MGHX
Q. Draw equator NKY, Greenwich PKQ and small circle MGX.
 If denotes the latitude of Greenwich, by Eq.(3)
(4)
 A degree is of the arc of a circle
the length of arc of a circle
length of arc of a circle
1 min
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 The great circle distance between two points subtending an angle of one minute of arc at the
center of the earth is known as the nautical mile.

No.4 (pg 23) Two ships X and Y are steaming along the parallels of latitude N and S
respectively, in such a way that at any given moment the two ships are on the meridian of
longitude. If the speed of X is 15 knots, find the speed of Y.

𝑋𝑋 ′ speed of ship X, 𝑌𝑌 ′ speed of ship Y

𝐴𝑋 , 𝐴𝑌

𝑋𝑋 ′ 𝐴𝐵 𝐴𝑋, 𝑌𝑌 ′ 𝐴𝐵 𝐴𝑌

𝑌𝑌 ′ 𝐴𝐵 𝐴𝑌
𝑋𝑋′ 𝐴𝐵 𝐴𝑋

𝑌𝑌 ′ 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑠

𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑡𝑠

5. The cosine formula

Let ABC be a spherical triangle. Let great circle , & . Then

̂
Draw the tangent AD to the great circle AB at A. Draw the tangent AE to the great circle AC at A.
OA AD and AE Draw OB to meet AD at D. Draw OC to meet AE at E. Join D and E.
̂ ̂
Let ̂ . In the plane triangle OAD, .
tan c
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(5)

In Plane triangle OAE,

𝑂𝐴
AE = OA tan b, 𝑂𝐸 𝑏
OE = AO sec b (6)
In plane triangle DAE,

(7)
In plane triangle DOE,

(8)
By Eqs. (7) & (8),

(A)
This is called cosine formula or formula A. The other two cosine formulae are
(9)
(10)
Derive the formula

where , b, c are length of sides of spherical triangle ABC such that .

We have formula A:

(11)
Since ( ) ,
]

Let . Then
and
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Hence

√ (12)
This is called half-angle formula. Similarly,

Derive formula where , b, c are length of sides of spherical triangle ABC

such that . [ Homework]

* + [ ]

* + (13)
Any one of Eqs. (11)-(13) can be used to calculate A, the three sides being known.
6. The sine-formula (formula B)
Derive the sine-formula.
We have formula A:

where a positive quantity X is defined by

Then

In spherical triangle, the sides are each less than ,

Similarly, for the other two formulae A,

, .
Hence
(B)
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This is called sine-formula or formula B.

(7) The analogue formula (formula C)
We have formula A:

(14)
(8) The Four-part formula
We have

(D)
This is called four-part formula or formula D.
cos (inner side) cos(inner angle) = sin (inner side) cot (other side)- sin(inner angle) cot (other angle)

𝑐 𝐵 𝑐 𝑎 𝐵𝐴 𝐶
𝑎 𝐵 𝑎 𝑐 𝐵 𝐶
Numerical Example (Pg. 16)
Let A and B represent two places, in the north latitude, on the surface of the earth; their latitudes
are respectively ′ N abd ′N and their longitudes ′E and ′W
respectively. Find (i) the length of great circle arc AB (ii) the angle PAB, P being the north pole
(iii) the most northerly point on the great circle AB.
PAHQ is the meridian through A cutting the equator in H.
latitude of A = HA = ′ N,
PA = ′N ′
latitude of B = KB = ′N
′
PB = ′
Let the Greenwich meridian intersect the equator in G.
GH = long. of A = ′E
HK = long. of B = ′W
′ ′ ′
HK = ′
Thus, ̂ ′
Length of great circle arc ̂
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(i) By formula A,

′ ′
′ ′ ′

′
′′or nautical miles ( nautical miles)
(ii) By formula B,
′
′ ′
′ ′
′

′
′′
Homework use formula A and half-angle formula.
(iii) Let C be the most northerly point on AB.
Thus ̂
By formula B,
′

′
′ ′′

′′
′ ′′
No. 1. In the spherical triangle ABC, , ′ ′′ and Calculate the
values of b, c and A.
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By four-part formula,
𝑎 𝐶 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑡𝑏 𝑐 𝐵
′ ′′ ′ ′𝑐𝑜𝑡𝑏 ′ ′′
′ ′′
𝑏
′ ′
′ ′
𝑏
′ ′′
′ ′ ′ ′′

′ ′′

𝑐 ′ ′′
′ ′′ 𝐴 ′ ′
′
′ ′′ 𝐴
𝑐
′ ′′ 𝐴
𝑐
𝑐 ′
′′
76672964
′
No 2,3 HW
Pb 1. In the diagram, the meridian through NGPS is the Greenwich meridian. Poins G and Q are on
the N parallel of latitude. Points P abd A are on the equator. Write down the positions of points
G, Q, A and P.
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𝜋𝑟

𝑙 𝜃

𝑙 𝜃
𝜋𝑟

Pb 2. Paris(France) is at N and E. How far is it from Paris to the North Pole and the
Equator travelling along the meridian, correc to the nearest km?
Each meridian is a great circle, with a radius of 6400 km. The latitude of Paris = N
colatitude of Paris = N
From Paris to the Equator

From Paris to the North Pole

Pb 3. Melbourne (Victoria) is at S and . How far is it from Melbourne to the

South Pole, the Equator and the North Pole travelling along the meridian, correct to the nearest km?
Each meridian is a great circle, with a radius of 6400 km
From Melbourne to the Equator
The angle between the latitude of Melbourne and that of the Equator is

From the Melbourne to the South Pole;

colatitude

From Melbourne to the North Pole

angle
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Pb 4. Both Torrens Creek (Queensland) and Kyabram (Victoria) are on the E meridian of
longitude, but Torrens creek is at S whereas Kyabram is at S. How far is it from
Torrens Creek to Kyabram travelling along the E meridian, correct to the nearest km?
Each meridian is a great circle, with a radius of 6400 km. The angle between the latitude of
Torrens Creek and that of Kyabram is
Frp, Torrens Creek to Kyabram

Pb 5. Both Broken Hill (NSW) and Morioka (Japan) are on the E meridian of longitude, but
Broken Hill is at S whereas Morioka is at . How far is it from Broken Hill to
Morioka travelling along the 141 E meridian, correct to the nearest km?
Each meridian is a great circle, with a radius of 6400 km. The angle between the latitude of Broken
Hill and that of Morioka is
From Broken Hill to Morioka

Pb 6. Both Libreville 9Gabon) and Kismanyo (Somalia) are on the Equtor on opposite sides of the
African continent. Libreville is at E and Kismanyo is at How far is it from
Libreville to Kismanyo travelling along the Equator, correct to the nearest km?
The Equator is a great circle, with a radius of 6400 km. The angel between the longitude of
Libreville and that of Kismanyo is
From Libreville to Kismanyo

Pb 7. Both Sydney (New South Wales) and Margaret River (Western Australia) are on the S
parallel of latitude, but Sydney is at E whereas Margaret River is at E. How far is
it from Sydney to Margaret River travelling along the S parallel, correct to the nearest km?

For the small circle, km

Longitude angle difference for Sydney and Margaret River is
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From Sydney to Margaret River

Pb 8. Both Sydney (Australia) and Cape Town (South Africa) are on the S parallel of latitude,
but Sydney is at E whereas Cape Town is at E. How far is it from Sydney to Cape
Town travelling along the S parallel , correct to the nearest km?
For the small circle, km
Longitude angle difference for Sydney and Margaret River is
From Sydney to Cape Town

Pb 9. Both Sydney (Australia) and Cape Town (South Africa) are on the S parallel of latitude,
but Sydney is at E whereas Cape Town is at E. How far is it from Sydney to Cape
Town travelling along the great circle route, correct to the nearest km?

For the small circle, km

Longitude angle difference for Sydney and Margaret River is
Straight line distance from Sydney to Cape Town
km
Angle between earth radii

( )

From Sydney to Cape Town via great circle route