celestial sphere
noun
: an imaginary sphere of infinite radius against which the celestial bodies appear to be projected and of which the apparent dome of the visible sky forms half
Examples of celestial sphere in a Sentence
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Split into northern and southern hemispheres, the celestial sphere containing the planets is overlaid with constellations and rotates to display the stars as viewed from Earth.
—
Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2025
From a vantage point on Earth, the sun and moon share the same celestial longitude, a projection of the Earth's own longitude lines on the celestial sphere.
—Jesse Emspak, Space.com, 27 Feb. 2025
Simpson meets the daunting beauty of the celestial sphere with a painterly language of stellar silvers and penumbral grays.
—Zoë Hopkins, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2025
Since this cluster lies 4 degrees north of the ecliptic — that great circle on the celestial sphere representing the sun's apparent path during the year — it can be occulted only when the ascending node of the moon's orbit is in the Pisces-to-Sagittarius part of the ecliptic.
—Joe Rao, Space.com, 9 Jan. 2025
In the 16th century, the term began to be associated with collections of maps after Gerardus Mercator, a Flemish cartographer, published a book of maps in 1595 with an image of Atlas holding the celestial sphere on the cover.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
The 2024 total eclipse is caused by a rare alignment in celestial spheres that will send millions of people in the path of totality outside to peer at the sky.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
Dung beetles, Harbor seals and even the Albatross are also all cognizant of the celestial sphere in ways that still amaze and perplex.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024
But from a terrestrial perspective, the celestial sphere appears essentially unchanging.
—Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 29 Aug. 2023
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Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2025
From a vantage point on Earth, the sun and moon share the same celestial longitude, a projection of the Earth's own longitude lines on the celestial sphere.
—Jesse Emspak, Space.com, 27 Feb. 2025
Simpson meets the daunting beauty of the celestial sphere with a painterly language of stellar silvers and penumbral grays.
—Zoë Hopkins, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2025
Since this cluster lies 4 degrees north of the ecliptic — that great circle on the celestial sphere representing the sun's apparent path during the year — it can be occulted only when the ascending node of the moon's orbit is in the Pisces-to-Sagittarius part of the ecliptic.
—Joe Rao, Space.com, 9 Jan. 2025
In the 16th century, the term began to be associated with collections of maps after Gerardus Mercator, a Flemish cartographer, published a book of maps in 1595 with an image of Atlas holding the celestial sphere on the cover.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
The 2024 total eclipse is caused by a rare alignment in celestial spheres that will send millions of people in the path of totality outside to peer at the sky.
—Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
Dung beetles, Harbor seals and even the Albatross are also all cognizant of the celestial sphere in ways that still amaze and perplex.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024
But from a terrestrial perspective, the celestial sphere appears essentially unchanging.
—Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 29 Aug. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Celestial sphere.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/celestial%20sphere. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
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