Reference Systems

Coordinates, celestial coordinates

 Contents
• Coordinates
• Reference systems
• Reference frames
• Celestial coordinates systems
– Celestial sphere
– Right ascension
• Celestial reference systems
 Introduction
• Geodesy is the science of measurement and
mapping of the earth’s surface. Hence, we need
coordinates and associated reference systems.
• To establish coordinates of a point we need a
coordinate system. To define a coordinate system
we must specify
– The location Origin This should be accessible
– The Orientation of the three axes,
– The parameters (Cartesian, curvilinear) which define
the position of point referred to in the coordinate
system
 Definitions
• Coordinate
– a sequence of values/numbers
– They describe the position of a feature.
• Coordinates are referenced to a coordinate reference
system (CRS).
• A CRS is comprised of a coordinate system (CS) and a
datum
• A CS is a set of rules specifying how coordinates can be
given to a point. It is just a mathematical concept with
no relation to the earth
• A datum specifies the relationship between CS and the
earth.
 Coordinate
• Ellipsoidal/curvelinear
– Position defined by latitude, longitude and ellipsoidal height. It can either be 2
or 3 dimensional. In 3D case ellipsoidal height is used. (ϕ,l) or (ϕ,l,h)
• Cartesian
– Position of a point given by orthogonal axis, could be 1-, 2- or 3- dimensional.
Gives absolute coordinates. H or (X, Y) or (X, Y, Z)
• Polar
– Position given by distance from the origin and the angle between the line from
the origin to point and reference direction. The reference direction is usually
the meridian passing through the origin. Gives relative coordinates. (d,)
• Spherical
– A 3-dimensional coordinate system with one distance, measured from the
origin, and two angular coordinates. (r,ϕ,l)
• gravity-related.
– 1-dimensional coordinate system dependent on the Earth’s gravity field used
to record the heights (or depths) of points. In general the gravity field is not
exactly perpendicular to the surface of the ellipsoid used to model the Earth.

http://kartoweb.itc.nl/geometrics/coordinate%20systems/coordsys.html
 Reference system
• Reference systems define constants,
conventions, models, and parameters, which
serve as the necessary basis for the
mathematical representation of geometric
and physical quantities. An example is a three-
dimensional Cartesian system with the origin
in the geo-centre, equatorial orientation,
metric scale and rotating with the Earth.
 Reference frame
• Reference frames realize the reference system
physically, i.e., by a solid materialization of
points, and mathematically, i.e., by the
determination of parameters (e.g., geometric
coordinates). Examples are terrestrial
monuments or spatial matters, whose
coordinates are computed from the
measurements following the definition of the
reference system
 coordinate
Is referenced to

Coordinate
Reference System

Is comprised of

Coordinate
Datum
System
 Coordinate
(lat, long, h)
Is referenced to

Coordinate
Reference System
(WGS84)

Is comprised of

Datum Coordinate
(WGS84) System
(lat, long, h)
Ellipsoid: WGS84/GRS80
Origin: earth centre of mass
 Coordinate
(E, N)
Is referenced to

Coordinate
Reference System
(Lo )

Is comprised of

Datum Coordinate
(Cape) System
(E, N)
Ellipsoid: Mod. Clarke 1880
Origin: Buffelsfontein
 Datum
• A datum implies a choice regarding the origin and
orientation of the coordinate system. It is the
datum that makes the coordinate system and its
coordinates unambiguous.
– Geodetic vertical datum
• Defines the relationship of gravity related coordinate system
– Geodetic horizontal datum
• Defines the relationship of a geographic or geocentric
coordinate system to the earth
• Essential attributes are the ellipsoid and prime meridian
• There are three distinct coordinates systems used
in geodesy
– Terrestrial
– Celestial
– Orbital
• The definition depends on the motions of the
earth and satellites in space
– Earth rotates on its axis and revolves around the sun
– Satellites orbit the earth
 Orientation of axes
• Poles, planes, and axes
– Primary pole – axis of symmetry of the coordinate
system
– Primary plane – plane perpendicular to the primary
pole
– Secondary plane – perpendicular to the primary plane
and contains primary pole
– Secondary pole/primary axis – the intersection of the
primary and secondary plane
– Secondary axis – perpendicular to the other two,
makes the system either right-handed or left-handed
 Primary pole

Secondary Plane

Secondary pole

Secondary axis
Primary plane
Left and right hand coordinate system
 Celestial coordinates
• Used to define coordinates of celestial bodies
such as stars.
• Most important coordinate system in geodesy
• Also known as space fixed or inertial coordinates
• Stars are all considered to be equidistant from
the earth on a surface called the celestial sphere.
• Because of the great distances of the solar system
the earth is considered to be a dimensionless
point at the centre of the sphere
 Celestial sphere
• Extension of the North pole and south pole intersects the celestial
sphere at the North Celestial Pole (NCP) and at South Celestial Pole
respectively.
• Equatorial plane can be extended to intersect sphere at celestial
equator
• The gravity vertical at a station is extended upwards to intersect
the sphere at the Zenith and downwards at the Nadir.
• The plane of Earth’s orbit around the sun is extend to intersect
sphere at ecliptic
• Celestial equator and the ecliptic are the fundamental planes of this
system, the angle between the two planes is known as the obliquity
• The point where the celestial equator intersects ecliptic when the
sun is moving from south to north is the vernal equinox
• Vernal equinox( first point of Aries) and autumnal equinox
Difference between celestial system and
terrestrial, orbital system
• Only directions are considered
– Therefore it could be considered as a unit sphere
• Geometry is spherical rather than ellipsoidal
– Hence mathematical relationships are simplified
 Celestial coordinate systems
• The are four main celestial coordinate systems
– Ecliptic system
– Hour angle system (HA)
Equatorial
– Right ascension system (RA)
– Horizon system
• This depends on the primary plane being
chosen
– HA and RA primary plane is equatorial plane
 Ecliptic system
• Origin at the centre of sun (heliocentric)
• Primary plane is the ecliptic plane
• Primary pole (z-axis) is the NEP
• Primary axis (x-axis) is the vernal equinox
• Y axis is chosen to complete a right-handed
system
• Coordinates of an object measured with
– Ecliptic latitude
– Ecliptic longitude
 Position on the Ecliptic system
Ecliptic latitude, 
❖ The angular distance of any object
measured north or south of the
plane of the ecliptic to the poles,
from 0° to 90°.

Ecliptic longitude, 
❖ The angular distance of any object as
measured eastwards from the vernal to
a plane through an object.

𝑋 sin 𝛽 cos 𝜆
𝑌 = cos 𝛽 sin 𝜆 𝛽 = sin−1 𝑍
𝑍 𝐸 sin 𝛽 𝑌
𝜆 = tan −1
𝑍
 Horizon system
• Orientation of system
– Primary pole (z-axis) observer’s zenith (gravity vector), therefore
primary plane is the observer’s horizon.
– Primary axis (x-axis) is the north point
– Y axis completes a left-handed system
• Astronomic observations are made in this system
• Disadvantages
– At different positions on the earth, the same object has
different coordinates
– At different times, the same object has different coordinates
• The Coordinates of an object Change in the horizon system!
 Position on the Horizon system

Altitude angle, A
❖ angle between the horizon plane and line from the origin to object

Azimuth, 
❖ angle measured clockwise in the
horizon plane from north to vertical
circle

𝑋 sin 𝐴 cos 𝛼
𝑌 = cos 𝐴 sin 𝛼
𝑍 𝐻 sin 𝐴
 Hour angle
• Origin center of the sun
• Primary pole is NEP, therefore primary plane is the
equatorial plane
• Primary plane is the celestial meridian through the
observer. Therefore x-axis is the intersection of the
equatorial plane and the observer’s meridian.
• Y axis completes a left-handed system
• Coordinates of objects measured by
– Declination
– The hour angle, t , that gives this system its name, is the
angle in the equatorial plane from the local astronomic
meridian to the hour circle of the celestial object.
 Right ascension
• Primary plane is the
celestial equatorial plane
• Primary axis is the vernal
equinox
• Y axis chosen to complete a
right handed system
• Coordinates of an object
measured by
– Right ascension,  - measured
in the equatorial plane
eastwards of primary axis.
– Declination,  - angle above
or below celestial equatorial
plane

http://astro.unl.edu/naap/motion1/cec_units.html
 Summary of terrestrial coordinates
Reference poles Reference planes
Handedness
System Primary Pole Secondary Pole Primary Secondary (y – axis)
(z – axis) (x – axis)
Ecliptic

Horizon

Hour angle

Right
ascension
 Right ascension
Position of point (RA)
𝑥 cos 𝛿 cos 𝛼
𝑦 = cos 𝛿 sin 𝛼
𝑧 𝑅𝐴 sin 𝛿

 = right ascension
 = declination

Ecliptic
Relationship between RA and E

𝑥 𝑥
𝑦 = 𝑅1 −𝜀 𝑦
𝑧 𝑅𝐴 𝑧 𝐸

𝜀 = Obliquity of the ecliptic, acute angle

between the ecliptic and celestial
equator
 RA system
• Variations of RA system
– Mean RA at standard
epoch 0
– Mean RA at epoch 
– True RA at epoch 
– Apparent places system
at epoch 
• Corrections applied on
RA in order to achieve
the AP system
 Corrections to celestial system
• Proper motion
– Stars are not stationary on the celestial sphere they are really moving
• Precession
– Earth’s rotational axis (north celestial pole) circular movement around the north ecliptic pole
• with a period of about 25800 years and
• Amplitude equal to obliquity of ecliptic (23.5˚).
– Caused by attraction of equatorial bulge by the sun, moon, and planets
• Nutation
– Irregularities in precession are called nutation
– This is because
• The earth’s orbit is not circular
• The moon’s orbit does not lie in the ecliptic plane
– The period is 18.6 years
– Maximum amplitude of 9”
• Annual parallax
– The earth is displaced from the centre of the celestial sphere
• Annual aberration
– Origin is revolving around the centre of the true celestial sphere
Rotation (green), precession (blue) and
nutation in obliquity (red) of a planet
• MRA(0) → MRA()
–𝒙ഥ𝑀𝑅𝐴(𝜏) = 𝑃ഥ
𝒙𝑀𝑅𝐴(𝜏0 )
– Gives mean equator and equinox
• MRA() → TRA()
–𝒙ഥ 𝑇𝑅𝐴(𝜏) = 𝑁ഥ
𝒙𝑀𝑅𝐴(𝜏)
– instantaneous equator and equinox
• TRA() → AP()
–𝒙ഥ𝐴𝑃 = 𝑃ഥ𝒙𝑀𝑅𝐴()
– Centre shifted to geocenter
 Celestial reference system
• The orientation of the terrestrial system is tied to
the celestial system
• The CRS is supposed to be an inertial system
which does not require corrections for rotation.
• It serves as the primary reference for geodetic
purposes since it has no dynamics
• The system is used
– To study the dynamics of earth as a rotating body
– As a reference system for astronomy
 Celestial reference system
• A CRS can be based on kinematic or dynamic
considerations.
– A kinematic CRS is defined by stars or quasars with well
known positions and, if measurable, proper motions.
– A dynamical CRS is based on the motion of planets, the
Moon, or artificial satellites.
• We need to be able to transform between CRS and TRS,
for this we require
– Understanding of earth dynamics and its orbital motion
– Effects of observing celestial objects on a moving and
rotating body such as earth.
 International Celestial Reference
Frame
• Responsibility of International Astronomical
Union
• Established in 1991 based on a kinematic
definition
• Primary axis fixed to a distant matter rather
than vernal equinox
• Origin is either
– Barycenter
– geocenter
• The ICRS is realized through the ICRF
– is a catalogue of the adopted positions of 608
extragalactic radio sources observed via the
technique of VLBI
– 212 of these objects are defining sources. They
establish the orientation of the ICRS axes.
 ICRS/ICRF

Origin: Barycenter of solar system

Geocentric origin
Orientation: Mean equator at J2000.0
X- axis mean vernal equinox at J2000.0
Techniques: Astronomy
VLBI
Realization: 212 defining quasars
608 quasar positions