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Reference.org
Galactic coordinate system
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<p>The galactic coordinate system is a <a href="/facts/Celestial_coordinate_system/23HhqvHj">celestial coordinate system</a> in <a href="/facts/Spherical_coordinates/5cVnNof3">spherical coordinates</a>, with the <a href="/facts/Sun/CadPCVHh">Sun</a> as its center, the primary direction aligned with the approximate center of the <a href="/facts/Milky_Way/ulF6lccN">Milky Way</a> <a href="/facts/Galaxy/zCyUvEf7">Galaxy</a>, and the <a href="/facts/Fundamental_plane_(spherical_coordinates)/n5cWNMq2">fundamental plane</a> parallel to an approximation of the <a href="/facts/Galactic_plane/4eaqfCIB">galactic plane</a> but offset to its north. It uses the <a href="/facts/Right-hand_rule/LJe0Qqh4">right-handed convention</a>, meaning that coordinates are positive toward the north and toward the east in the <a href="/facts/Fundamental_plane_(spherical_coordinates)/n5cWNMq2">fundamental plane</a>. </p>