Latitude, horizon

[petermartin5]

Apologies if this seems a daft question. Usually astro. books, charts refer to an object as, say 55 degrees declination. I know? this means 55 deg north of the equator.

But how does this relate to the observers particulr horizon.?

I am sure some of you will know the answer! Any assistance appreciated.

Pete

[GazOC]

http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php?number=112

[The Warthog]

Right ascension and declination give the location of a fixed point on the celestial globe. However, since the celestial globe rotates around the earth (OK, technically it's the other way around, but...) an object of a certain declination will constantly change both its height above the horizon and its direction. The only thing that stays relatively fixed is the North Star, and a point in the south that you can't see from the UK.

Consider the sun, which has a RA and declination which changes only slightly from day to day. In the course of a day, you see it move from east to west, and change both height and direction as it does.That's how declination relates to the horizon.

[Chubster]

Cool link....cheers Gaz