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

See Examples For:

polar distance

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 Ernest Gallaudet Draper

The latitude is found by further increasing or diminishing this altitude by the polar distance of the star.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 363, December 16, 1882 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 Alexander von Humboldt

The axis of rotation AB bears a rigidly attached rod DBC inclined to it at an angle equal to the sun’s polar distance.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 2 "Hearing" to "Helmond" by Various

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