astronomical coordinate systems

Astronomical coordinate systems are methods used to specify exact locations of objects in the sky, similar to how latitude and longitude locate places on Earth. The most common system is the equatorial coordinate system, which uses celestial equivalents: right ascension (like longitude) measures an object’s position along the celestial equator, and declination (like latitude) measures how far north or south of it an object is. These coordinates are referenced to the celestial sphere, an imaginary sphere surrounding Earth. Such systems help astronomers find and track stars, planets, and other celestial objects accurately.