astronomical coordinate system

The astronomical coordinate system is a way to pinpoint locations of objects in the sky, similar to how geographic coordinates locate places on Earth. It uses two main measurements: right ascension (like longitude) to specify an object's position eastward along the celestial equator, and declination (like latitude) to indicate how far north or south an object is from the celestial equator. These coordinates are based on the Earth's rotation and orbit, allowing astronomers to find and track stars, planets, and other celestial objects with precision, regardless of where they are observing from on Earth.