Symbols:Greek/Beta/Celestial Latitude
Celestial Latitude
- $\beta$
Let $P$ be a point on the celestial sphere.
The celestial latitude of $P$ is the angle subtended by the the arc of the vertical circle through $P$ between $P$ and the ecliptic.
If $P$ is closer to the north ecliptic pole, the celestial latitude is defined as latitude $\beta \degrees$ north, where $\beta \degrees$ denotes $\beta$ degrees (of angle), written $\beta \degrees \, \mathrm N$.
If $P$ is closer to the south ecliptic pole, the celestial latitude is defined as latitude $\beta \degrees$ south, written $\beta \degrees \, \mathrm S$.
At the north ecliptic pole, the celestial latitude is $90 \degrees \, \mathrm N$.
At the south ecliptic pole, the celestial latitude is $90 \degrees \, \mathrm S$.
The $\LaTeX$ code for \(\beta\) is \beta .
Sources
- 1998: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): celestial latitude (ecliptic latitude)
- 1998: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): ecliptic coordinate system
- 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): celestial latitude (ecliptic latitude)
- 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): ecliptic coordinate system