Angular distance

<p>Angular distance or angular separation is the measure of the <a href="/facts/Angle/gFUTEQYq">angle</a> between the <a href="/facts/Orientation_(geometry)/Tj24mTJ8">orientation</a> of two <a href="/facts/Straight_line/gJqsr4Gj">straight lines</a>, <a href="/facts/Ray_(geometry)/gJqsr4Gj">rays</a>, or <a href="/facts/Vector_(geometry)/bCLrdksy">vectors</a> in <a href="/facts/Three-dimensional_space/KAqKWUbS">three-dimensional space</a>, or the <a href="/facts/Central_angle/h00sYLNj">central angle</a> <a href="/facts/Subtended/GQxln7lP">subtended</a> by the <a href="/facts/Radius/9Gr9deYD">radii</a> through two points on a <a href="/facts/Sphere/jywYLNM2">sphere</a>. When the rays are <a href="/facts/Line_of_sight/uhfdzGYv">lines of sight</a> from an observer to two points in space, it is known as the apparent distance or apparent separation.
</p><p>Angular distance appears in <a href="/facts/Mathematics/pxTouaz4">mathematics</a> (in particular <a href="/facts/Geometry/wTQf5ffQ">geometry</a> and <a href="/facts/Trigonometry/K4hfaC6F">trigonometry</a>) and all <a href="/facts/Natural_science/8hg81Q2p">natural sciences</a> (e.g., <a href="/facts/Kinematics/o7mSyeJA">kinematics</a>, <a href="/facts/Astronomy/0ArJVM1p">astronomy</a>, and <a href="/facts/Geophysics/ywVQ1sAQ">geophysics</a>). In the <a href="/facts/Classical_mechanics/ykG8upsN">classical mechanics</a> of rotating objects, it appears alongside <a href="/facts/Angular_velocity/2n8JljAT">angular velocity</a>, <a href="/facts/Angular_acceleration/jDv9uzAS">angular acceleration</a>, <a href="/facts/Angular_momentum/7TuSVFxq">angular momentum</a>, <a href="/facts/Moment_of_inertia/TpLLAVl7">moment of inertia</a> and <a href="/facts/Torque/KcrcvNtV">torque</a>.
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Angular distance open-in-new

Angular distance