fundamental star

American  

noun

Astronomy.

1. one of a number of stars with positions that have been determined accurately and that are used as reference stars for the determination of positions of other celestial objects.

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Example Sentences

He introduced new methods for determining the position of the equinox and the right ascension of a fundamental star.

From History of Astronomy by Forbes, George

The faults of these were so great that the fundamental star, i.e., the one he took by which to measure the rest, Spica, was given a longitude nearly 40 degrees out of the true one.

From The Age of the Reformation by Smith, Preserved