What is "celestial equator"

n. (context astronomy English) A great circle on the celestial sphere, coincident with the plane of earth's equator.

n. the great circle on the celestial sphere midway between the celestial poles [syn: equinoctial circle, equinoctial line, equinoctial]

The celestial equator is a great circle on the imaginary celestial sphere, in the same plane as the Earth's equator. In other words, it is a projection of the terrestrial equator out into space. As a result of the Earth's axial tilt, the celestial equator is inclined by 23.4° with respect to the ecliptic plane.

An observer standing on the Earth's equator visualizes the celestial equator as a semicircle passing directly overhead through the zenith. As the observer moves north (or south), the celestial equator tilts towards the opposite horizon. The celestial equator is defined to be infinitely distant (since it is on the celestial sphere); thus the observer always sees the ends of the semicircle disappear over the horizon exactly due east and due west, regardless of the observer's position on Earth. (At the poles, though, the celestial equator would be parallel to the horizon.) At all latitudes the celestial equator appears perfectly straight because the observer is only finitely far from the plane of the celestial equator but infinitely far from the celestial equator itself.

Celestial objects near the celestial equator are visible worldwide, but they culminate the highest in the sky in the tropics. The celestial equator currently passes through these constellations:

• Pisces (contains the first point of Aries above its southern border)
• Cetus
• Taurus
• Eridanus
• Orion

• Monoceros
• Canis Minor
• Hydra
• Sextans
• Leo

• Virgo (contains the first point of Libra)
• Serpens
• Ophiuchus
• Aquila
• Aquarius

Celestial bodies other than Earth also have similarly defined celestial equators.