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If you are at a location with a latitude of 10 degrees north, a star with a declination of 10 degrees would be located directly overhead, at your zenith. This means the star is in the same plane as your latitude, making it the highest point in the sky relative to your position.
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Suppose you live at latitude 20N. Which star passes closest to your zenith on its daily path through your sky?
These all pass within 5 degrees of the zenith: Hamal (Alpha Arieties), Aldebaran (Alpha Tauri), Algieba (Gamma Leonis), Arcturus (Alpha Bootis), There are other fainter ones as well
What two factors determine the length of daylight?
Daylight starts and ends with the centre of the Sun theoretically at a zenith distance of 90 degrees 50 minutes. It is more than 90 degrees to allow for atmospheric refraction and also because the top edge of the visible Sun must be level with the horizon. The length of daylight depends on the Sun's declination and the observer's latitude. When these two factors are equal the Sun passes overhead at midday.
Where would you be if Sun passes through your zenith on Dec 21?
If the Sun passes through your zenith on December 21, you would be located near the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere. This date marks the December solstice, when the Sun reaches its southernmost point in the sky, making it directly overhead at midday for locations within the tropics.
Do All stars pass through a zenith?
No, not all stars pass through the zenith. The zenith is the point directly overhead an observer, so stars that are close to the celestial pole (North or South) may not pass through the zenith at all from certain locations on Earth. Stars near the celestial equator are more likely to pass through the zenith as they appear to move across the sky.
What are the altitude and azimuth of a star halfway between the horizon and zenith to the due east?
An object seen halfway between the horizon and the zenith has an altitude of 45 degrees.An object seen due east of the observer has an azimuth of 90 degrees.
