azimuth (redirected from azimuths)

az·i·muth  (z-mth)

n.

1. The horizontal angular distance from a reference direction, usually the northern point of the horizon, to the point where a vertical circle through a celestial body intersects the horizon, usually measured clockwise. Sometimes the southern point is used as the reference direction, and the measurement is made clockwise through 360°.

2. The horizontal angle of the observer's bearing in surveying, measured clockwise from a referent direction, as from the north, or from a referent celestial body, usually Polaris.

3. The lateral deviation of a projectile or bomb.

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[Middle English azimut, from Old French, from Arabic as-sumt, pl. of as-samt, the way, compass bearing : al-, the + samt, way (from Latin smita, path; see mei-¹ in Indo-European roots).]

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azi·muthal (-mthl) adj.

azi·muthal·ly adv.

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azimuth

Noun

1. the arc of the sky between the zenith and the horizon

2. Surveying the horizontal angle of a bearing measured clockwise from the north [Arabic as-samt the path]

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azimuth  (z-mth)

The position of a celestial object along an observer's horizon. Azimuth is a horizontal angle measured clockwise in degrees from a reference direction, usually the north or south point of the horizon, to the point on the horizon intersected by the object's line of altitude (a line from the observer's zenith through the object to the horizon). If north is the reference point (0°), then east has an azimuth of 90°, south is 180°, and so forth through 360°. See more at altazimuth coordinate system.

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Quantities may be expressed in positive quantities increasing in a clockwise direction, or in X, Y coordinates where south and west are negative. They may be referenced to true north or magnetic north depending on the particular weapon system used.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

azimuth - the azimuth of a celestial body is the angle between the vertical plane containing it and the plane of the meridian AZ angle - the space between two lines or planes that intersect; the inclination of one line to another; measured in degrees or radians