What's an Azimuth?

Question

An astronomy question. I think it deals with Earth or some other planets somehow.

First person to answer will be given the best answer and getting points.

Answer 1

Azimuth is a spherical coordinate. As used in astronomy, "azimuth" is one of two coordinates in the Altitude-Azimuth system; it indicates direction from the observer. 0 azimuth is north, 90 degrees azimuth is east, 180 is south, 270 is west. Add in the information of altitude above the horizon and you have specified a particular point on the sky.

Answer 2

Azimuth is a spherical coordinate. As used in astronomy, "azimuth" is one of two coordinates in the Altitude-Azimuth system; it indicates direction from the observer. 0 azimuth is north, 90 degrees azimuth is east, 180 is south, 270 is west. Add in the information of altitude above the horizon and you have specified a particular point on the sky.

Answer 3

Think of a clock face (the old-fashioned dial one with hands).
Point 12 o'clock towards North.
1:00 is 30 degrees east of north, 3:00 is 90 degrees east of north etc. Once around the dial is 360 degrees (a full circle).
Azimuth is the measurement in degrees east from North.
So if you face directly north, due east's azimuth is 90 degrees.

This would be used on any object that has a horizon to someone standing on the surface, so it would be used on the moon, Mars, or any other world. I suppose it might be used on a non-spherical asteroid, since the degrees around the circle doesn't depend on the shape of the object you're standing on.

Answer 4

Azimuth is the horizontal component of a direction on a compass measured around the horizon, from the north toward the east in astronomy and geodesy and from the south toward the west in surveying. It is usually expressed in degrees.

On the Brunton Compasses I use as geologist it goes from 0 to 360 but may differ in astronomy.

Answer 5

Try http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azimuth

Or...

Google it!