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Celestial sphere
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Earth's celestial sphere: Stars, planets, and other heavenly bodies
figure illustrating the apparent motions of the Sun and the Moon on the celestial sphere Celestial coordinates seen by an observer in mid-northern latitudes. His celestial meridian is a great circle passing through his zenith and the poles. His astronomical horizon meets the celestial sphere at infinity. A diagram of the celestial sphere with Earth at the center, showing the celestial equator, ecliptic, and labeled positions of the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, as well as the north celestial and ecliptic poles.
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The orbits of the planets and other elements of the solar system, including asteroids, Kuiper belt, Oort cloud, comet
Space Odyssey
Ursa major constellation illustration art. (Big Dipper) stars, space, night sky)
Stars: Explosions in Space
Nicolaus Copernicus. Nicolas Copernicus (1473-1543) Polish astronomer. In 1543 he published, forward proof of a Heliocentric (sun centered) universe. Coloured stipple engraving published London 1802. De revolutionibus orbium coelestium libri vi.
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Celestial sphere: References & Edit History

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  • The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
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Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Article title updated for style. Nov 10, 2026
Modified link of Web site: OpenStax - Astronomy 2e - The Sky Above. Jan 24, 2025
Add new Web site: OpenStax - Astronomy 2e - The Sky Above. Nov 24, 2023
Add new Web site: NASA Science - Solar System Exploration - The Celestial Sphere. Nov 15, 2021
Video about celestial sphere added. Aug 16, 2011
Photo of star trails added. Mar 08, 2011
Added new Web site: Office of Naval Research - Observing the Sky: The Celestial Sphere. May 19, 2008
Added new Web site: The Electronic Universe - Celestial Sphere. Aug 14, 2007
Added new Web site: Dept. Physics & Astronomy - The Celestial Sphere. Aug 14, 2007
Added new Web site: Department Astronomy of University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign - Celestial Sphere. Aug 14, 2007
Added new Web site: Cornell Astronomy - The Celestial Sphere. Jun 07, 2007
Article added to new online database. Jul 20, 1998
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