vertical circle

American  

noun

Astronomy.

1. a great circle on the celestial sphere passing through the zenith.

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vertical circle British  

noun

1. astronomy a great circle on the celestial sphere passing through the zenith and perpendicular to the horizon

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vertical circle Scientific  

1. A great circle on the celestial sphere that passes through the zenith and the nadir and thus is perpendicular to the horizon.

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Etymology

Origin of vertical circle

First recorded in 1550–60

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vertical circle

The flagman swings his lamp, or his flag or hand, in a vertical circle at half-arm's length across the track.

From Time Magazine Archive

A vertical circle passing through the sun may also be seen.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 8 "Haller, Albrecht" to "Harmonium" by Various

The distance of a star from the horizon, measured on a vertical circle, toward the zenith is called the star’s altitude.

From Astronomical Lore in Chaucer by Grimm, Florence M.

The Azimuth of a star is the angle between the meridian and the vertical circle passing through the star.

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

The azimuth of a star is its angular distance from the south point, measured westward on the horizon, to a vertical circle passing through the star.

From Astronomical Lore in Chaucer by Grimm, Florence M.