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Learning Objectives
Know the ultimate goal of celestial navigation.
Know the definitions of terms and components
associated with the terrestrial, celestial, and horizon
coordinate systems.
Know the relationship between the terrestrial,
celestial, and horizon coordinate systems.
Apply correct procedures to describe the location of
a celestial body in reference to the celestial and
horizon coordinate systems.
SOLAR SYSTEM
The Sun and the collection of celestial bodies that orbit it. These include the
nine planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
and Pluto) and their 60 moons, the asteroid belt, the comets and the Kuiper
belt.
Like all planets in our solar system, the Earth is in an elliptical orbit around
our Sun In Earth's case, its orbit is nearly circular, so that the difference
between Earth's farthest point from the Sun and its closest point is very small.
on or about December
22, the
Southern Hemisphere
is tilted toward the
sun and conditions are
the reverse of those
six months earlier;
the Northern
Hemisphere is having
its winter,
and the Southern
Hemisphere its
summer.
This is the winter
solstice.
on or about March
21when both hemispheres
again receive equal
amounts of sunshine,
the Northern Hemisphere
is having spring and
the Southern Hemisphere
is having autumn,
the reverse of conditions
six months before.
This is the vernal equinox
or first point of Aries.
Arctic circle
66o 33N
Antarctic Circle
66o 33 S
Antarctic circle - the parallel of latitude at about 66o 33S, marking the
northern limit of the south Frigid zone.