polar distance

American  

noun

Astronomy.

1. codeclination.

---

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

---

Etymology

Origin of polar distance

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

For the ecliptic polar distance, five columns are added in groups, formed in seven different ways, each different way having on the average about nine hundred groups.

From Autobiography of Sir George Biddell Airy by Airy, George Biddell

I hope, some day, myself to have another instrument made with a more readily changeable polar distance, with trace and guide points working in the same vertical, and a wheel permitting of inverse summation.

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

The angle through the celestial pole, between these two positions, is double the polar distance.

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

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

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