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  • Understanding Right Ascension and Declination: Celestial Coordinates
    The two coordinates on the celestial sphere used to determine where a star is located are:

    * Right Ascension (RA): This is analogous to longitude on Earth and measures the angular distance of a celestial object eastward along the celestial equator from the vernal equinox. It is measured in hours, minutes, and seconds, with 24 hours representing a full circle.

    * Declination (Dec): This is analogous to latitude on Earth and measures the angular distance of a celestial object north or south of the celestial equator. It is measured in degrees, minutes, and seconds, with 0° representing the celestial equator, +90° representing the North Celestial Pole, and -90° representing the South Celestial Pole.

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