| The angular distance between the first point of
Aries
and the line from the celestial
pole through the celestial object to the ecliptic. In
other words, the mediation is
the degree of the ecliptic that crosses the meridian at the
same time as the celestial object. This value is measured
counter-clockwise from the first point of Aries and is
reported in degrees of a sign. Although mediation was
formerly used with declination to
locate a celestial object, astronomers now commonly pair
right ascension with declination. |