hour angle

hour angle, in astronomy, the angle between an observer’s meridian (a great circle passing over his head and through the celestial poles) and the hour circle (any other great circle passing through the poles) on which some celestial body lies. This angle, when expressed in hours and minutes, is the time elapsed since the celestial body’s last transit of the observer’s meridian. The hour angle can also be expressed in degrees, 15° of arc being equal to one hour. See also right ascension.