AZƏRBAYCAN DÖVLƏT XƏZƏR DƏNİZ GƏMİÇİLİYİ QSC

AZERBAIJAN CASPIAN SHIPPING COMPANY CJSC

AZƏRBAYCAN DÖVLƏT DƏNİZ AKADEMİYASI

AZERBAIJAN STATE MARINE ACADEMY

Independent work №1

Title : Celestial sphere and problems on it

Discipline :

Qroup: 208I

Student: Novruzov Aliagha

Teacher: Osmanov E.E.

BAKU – 2021
In astronomy and navigation, the celestial sphere is an abstract sphere that has an arbitrarily
large radius and is concentric to Earth. All objects in the sky can be conceived as
being projected upon the inner surface of the celestial sphere, which may be centered on
Earth or the observer. If centered on the observer, half of the sphere would resemble
a hemispherical screen over the observing location.

An observer M, located on the surface of the Earth, is involved in its daily orbital rotation, as a
consequence of which directions to luminaries C1, C2 (Fig. 1,a) are changing. To simplify
solution of astronomical tasks and to make motions clear, an auxiliary sphere, called celestial
sphere, is introduced. One can imagine the sphere constructed near the observer's place M (see
Fig. 1a), or circumscribed near the centre O of the Earth (Fig. 1b).
The celestial sphere is an auxiliary sphere of arbitrary radius, to the centre of which the main
lines of the observer and the Earth and the directions to the luminaries are moved parallel.

The main direction of the observer M is his vertical, or plumb line, zO1 (see Fig. 1), whose position in a
given point of the Earth is constant and is determined by the direction of gravitational force. The
intersection of the vertical with the surface of the Earth represents the location of M of the observer.

The position of point M on the Earth is determined by its geographical latitude φ

(the angle between the plumb line and the equatorial plane) and longitude λ (the dihedral angle
between the meridians - Greenwich GR and the observer M, equal to the arc e0e). The introduction of
the celestial sphere makes it possible to construct similar coordinate systems for the luminaries.

When constructing the celestial sphere, its centre is chosen at any point O (Fig. 2) and lines parallel to
the lines of observer M are drawn through it (see Fig. 1b). The line parallel to the vertical line zO1 is
called the plumb line zn, and its intersection points with the sphere are zenith z and nadir n. The line
parallel to the Earth's pnps axis (see Fig. 1,a) represents on the sphere the world axis PNPS around which
the sphere rotates. The points of its intersection with the sphere are called the poles of the world: north
PN and south PS (they correspond to the poles of the Earth).
The plane H of true horizon of observer M (see fig. 1,a), passing through the centre of sphere, gives in
section with sphere true horizon

- large circle NOstSW, perpendicular to

the plumb line zn.

The plane of the equator of the Earth transferred to the centre O of the sphere gives in a cross section
with the sphere the celestial equator, the great circle EWQOst, the plane of which is perpendicular to
the axis of the world.

The plane pnMers (see Fig. 1, a), the geographic meridian of the observer M, drawn through the centre
of the sphere, gives in a cross-section with it the meridian of the observer - the great circle PNzPSQ. The
PNPS world axis divides the observer's meridian into the noon part PNzPS, including the zenith, and the
midnight part PNnPS, (wavy line in Fig. 2). These parts of the meridian are crossed by the Sun at noon
and midnight, hence their names.

The main circles of the sphere divide it into parts: the horizon into suprahorizon and subhorizon, where
the luminaries are not visible: the celestial equator into northern (PN) and southern (PS); the meridian
of the NZS observer into eastern (Ost) and western (W).

The observer's true horizon is divided into directions (rhombuses). The intersection of the meridian and
horizon planes gives the N-S midday line, and the equator and horizon planes give the Ost - W line. On
the sphere the intersection of these lines gives points N, OST, S and W, by which the horizon is divided
into four quarters: NO, SO, SW and N W. The horizon is also divided into degrees (you can think of it as a
compass card).

The pole of the world situated above the horizon is called the elevated pole. Its name coincides with the
latitude of the observer: in northern latitude it is PN, in southern latitude it is PS. The elevation of the
pole above the horizon, i.e. the arc NPN, is equal to latitude, as well as the arc zE (see fig. 2).

If we draw directions to the luminaries from the centre of the sphere, we obtain points C1 and C2 on its
surface, called visible spots of the luminaries (hereinafter simply luminaries). Other planes and objects
can also be projected onto the sphere: the plane of the Earth's orbit gives the ecliptic, the Moon's orbit
gives the visible orbit of the Moon, the satellite's orbit gives the visible orbit of the satellite, etc.
Point Z represents the zenith of the observer’s position.
Point X represents the position of the celestial body and this point, if projected onto the Earth’s surface,
would correspond to the Geographical position of the body.
P and P1 are the north and south poles respectively.
The Zenith Distance. The zenith distance is the angular distance ZX that is subtended by the angle
XOZ and is measured along the vertical circle that passes through the celestial body
The Altitude. Altitude is the angle AOX, that is the angle from the celestial horizon to the celestial
body and is measured along the same vertical circle as the zenith distance.
Relationship between Altitude and Zenith Distance Since the celestial meridian is another vertical circle
and is therefore, also perpendicular to the celestial horizon, it follows that angle AOZ is a right angle
and angles AOX and XOZ are complementary angles. From this we can deduce that:
Zenith Distance = 90 – Altitude
o

and Altitude = 90 – Zenith Distance

o

Azimuth. The angle PZX is the azimuth of the celestial body and is the angular distance between the
observer’s celestial meridian and the direction of the position of the body.