Does the declination of a star change if your latitude changes?

Question

How do you calculate azimuth & altitude of a star using local time,latitude,longtitude of the observer's position and the RA & DEC of the star

Answer 1

Declination does not change except by precession and proper motion, both of which are extremely slow motions.

Computation of alt/az coords is too lengthy for this forum, involving many intermediate steps. This page gives a nice overview:

http://home.att.net/~srschmitt/script_celestial2horizon.html

Answer 2

Yes, the declination of the star change if the latitude is also changed.
Calculations: Follow these steps:

Subtract your latitude from 90 degrees. This result is your co-latitude.
Example: 90 - 40 = 50
The co-latitude of 40 degrees north is 50 degrees.
To your co-latitude, add the declination of your star/constellation. (Remember to treat southern declinations as negative numbers!)
Example: 50 - 53 = -3
If your co-latitude plus the declination of the star is greater than zero, then it will rise above your horizon at least sometime during the year

Answer 3

Yes
coordinate system based on the local horizon. The coordinates lines of this system are the:
Azimuth (Az) - measured along the horizon from the North eastwerd. (e.g. 90o - is East, 180o is South etc.)
Altitude (Alt) (or Elevation, or zenith distance=90o-Altitude) - This is the angle between the object and the horizon measured on the great circle defined by the zenith and the object.
The Transformation between the horizonatl coordinates system and the equatorial coordinates system is given by:
cos(Alt) sin(Az) = -cos sin h
cos(Alt) cos(Az) = sin cos - cos cos h sin
sin(Alt) = sin sin + cos cos h cos

Where is the Declination, h is the Hour Angle and is the geocentric latitude. (These formule, don't take into account the refraction in the Earth atmosphere.


http://wise-obs.tau.ac.il/~eran/Wise/Util/Horizontal_Coordinates.html

Answer 4

well, azimuth is easy and altitude is too.

AZimuth...

Make a directional map showing the N S E And W. And draw pics of what see in each side...then Stand in the same position and look at star then you see the azimuth.

Altitude

Put a fist staright in front of you and keep adding fists ( 1 fist = 10 degree) until you see the star at the top of your fist.]


I know it doidn't help...I am so stupid!

Answer 5

No.