hour angle

American  

noun

Astronomy.

1. the angle, measured westward through 360°, between the celestial meridian of an observer and the hour circle of a celestial body.

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hour angle British  

noun

1. the angular distance along the celestial equator from the meridian of the observer to the hour circle of a particular celestial body

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hour angle Scientific  

1. The angular distance, measured westward along the celestial equator, between the celestial meridian of the observer and the hour circle passing through a celestial body. A body's hour angle is measured in hours, minutes, and seconds, and corresponds to its right ascension as measured with respect to the observer's meridian (which changes with time) rather than the vernal equinox (which is fixed on the celestial equator). A celestial object that crossed the observer's meridian 3 hours and 20 minutes ago has an hour angle of +3 hours 20 minutes. An object that will not cross the meridian for another 3 hours and 20 minutes has an hour angle of −3 hours 20 minutes.

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Etymology

Origin of hour angle

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

Astronomical time, either apparent or mean, is the hour angle of the true or mean sun respectively, measured to the westward throughout its entire daily circuit.

From Lectures in Navigation by Draper, Ernest Gallaudet

By hour angle, I mean the distance in time from your meridian to the meridian of the point or celestial body in question.

From Lectures in Navigation by Draper, Ernest Gallaudet

Then your ship's hour angle would be the angle at the pole intersecting the meridian of your ship and the meridian of the sun or LPS and measured by the arc LS.

From Lectures in Navigation by Draper, Ernest Gallaudet

What is the hour angle of the sun when it has the greatest altitude?

From A Text-Book of Astronomy by Comstock, George C.

The hour angle of the center of the sun is the measure of apparent or solar time.

From Lectures in Navigation by Draper, Ernest Gallaudet