Coordinate system · λ, β
The Ecliptic Coordinate System
A coordinate system based on the ecliptic — the plane of the Earth's orbit and the Sun's apparent yearly path — measuring ecliptic longitude eastward from the vernal equinox and ecliptic latitude perpendicular to it. It is the natural frame for the Solar System, where the planets and the Moon stay close to the ecliptic.
Highlights
- ›The natural frame of the Solar System, along the Sun's path
Related systems & concepts
Knowledge connections
- Associated withThe Ecliptic & Equinox
- Associated withThe Equatorial Coordinate System
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- IAUInternational Astronomical Union
Official naming, definitions, constellation boundaries, and astronomical nomenclature.