polar distance

American  

noun

Astronomy.

1. codeclination.

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polar distance British  

noun

1. Also called: codeclination.  the angular distance of a star, planet, etc, from the celestial pole; the complement of the declination

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Etymology

Origin of polar distance

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

Instead of it is frequently used the complementary angle ZOP, known as the polar distance of the body.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 7 "Arundel, Thomas" to "Athens" by Various

Equality of the mean temperature of a mountain station, and of the polar distance of any point lying at the level of the sea.

From COSMOS: A Sketch of the Physical Description of the Universe, Vol. 1 by Humboldt, Alexander von

O A is fixed perpendicular to R U, and is such that O may be fixed at various points to determine the polar distance.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 794, March 21, 1891 by Various

P M is the polar distance of M from P, or P B the polar distance of B from P. The true altitude of a celestial body is its angular height from the true horizon.

From Lectures in Navigation by Draper, Ernest Gallaudet

In the measurement of equatorial co-ordinates, the polar distance is determined in an analogous way.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 7 "Arundel, Thomas" to "Athens" by Various