What direction does the zenith point to?

Question

Its the same anywhere on earth and i also need its lattitude and longitude.

Answer 1

Hi. Straight up. But the direction it points depends where on Earth you are standing.

Answer 2

The zenith is the point directly overhead (the nadir is the point directly below you). The latitude and longitude of the zenith vary with location. It is not always the same point. You can show that is varies with place easily. You know that when it is noon at your location, it is dark somewhere else on Earth. If the Sun is at your zenith at noon, but it is dark elsewhere, wherever it is dark, the zenith must be at a different location than the Sun.

As far as latitude and longitude of the zenith, your zenith's latitude (called the declination in the sky with + for north) is the same as your latitude. The longitude of your zenith (called right ascension in the sky increasing eastward) changes continuously as the Earth rotates. Once each day the right ascension of the zenith and your longitude do match up. They match up at noon on the vernal equinox (March 21st) on the prime meridian. For every 1 degree east of the prime meridian, the zenith and your longitude match up at noon about 1 day later. After a whole year has gone by you are back to the start.

Answer 3

Zenith is the point directly over *your* head. It varies depending on where you are.

Answer 4

exactly upwards in the sky to where u r standing, longitudes or latitudes as it depends on ur positon on the earth

Answer 5

It's the point directly over your head and varies from one place to another.