Colure

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Orange = equinoctial colure
Blue = solstitial colure
G = equinoctial colure
H = solstitial colure

Colure, in astronomy, is either of the two principal meridians of the celestial sphere.

Equinoctial colure[]

The equinoctial colure is the meridian or great circle of the celestial sphere which passes through the celestial poles and the two equinoxes: the first point of Aries and the first point of Libra.

Solstitial colure[]

The solstitial colure is the meridian or great circle of the celestial sphere which passes through the poles and the two solstices: the first point of Cancer and the first point of Capricorn. There are several stars closely aligned with the solstitial colure: Pi Herculis, Delta Aurigae, and Theta Scorpii. This makes the solstitial colure point towards the North Celestial Pole and Polaris.

See also[]

References[]

  • Harley, John Brian; Woodward, David (1987). Cartography in the Traditional Islamic and South Asian Societies. The History of cartography. 2:1. University of Chicago Press. p. 28. ISBN 978-0-226-31635-2. OCLC 13456456. OL 9455351M.
  • Geminus; Evans, James; Berggren, J. L. (2006). Geminos's Introduction to the phenomena: a translation and study of a Hellenistic survey of astronomy. Princeton University Press. p. 130. ISBN 978-0-691-12339-4. OCLC 70232402. OL 15978783M.
  • Ovason, David (1999). The Secret Architecture of our Nation's Capital. Harper Collins. p. 98. ISBN 978-006095368-3. OCLC 50409366.
  • Kaler, Jim. "Pi Aurigae." Pi Aurigae. N.p. 22 Feb. 2008. Web.


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