Coordinate system · alt, az
The Horizontal Coordinate System
The observer-centred system that describes where a body appears in the local sky: altitude above the horizon and azimuth around it. Simple and intuitive for pointing a telescope, horizontal coordinates change continuously as the Earth turns and depend on the observer's location and the moment of observation.
Highlights
- ›Altitude and azimuth in the observer's local sky
Related systems & concepts
Across the reference systems
Knowledge connections
- Associated withThe Celestial Sphere
- Associated withThe Celestial Sphere
- Associated withAtmospheric Refraction
- Associated withAtmospheric Refraction
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- IAUInternational Astronomical Union
Official naming, definitions, constellation boundaries, and astronomical nomenclature.