PHIL 112 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: 45Th Parallel North
7 Dec 2016
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Document Summary
The zenith is the point 90 degrees above the horizon. The apparent path of the sun on the celestial sphere is called the ecliptic. To locate an object on the celestial sphere astronomers use right ascension and declination. At the latitude of gmu (about 39 degrees north),the sun is directly overhead never. At this latitutde the simulation shows that the big dipper remains above the horizon. The big dipper and orion would be visible in all or part of the 24 hour rotation of earth from 45 degrees n. An observer would see all three constellations rising and setting over the course of 24 hours. An observer would never see the big dipper at 45 - 90 degrees south. At the tropic of cancer the sun can be seen at the zenith once a year.
