Definition:Colatitude (Terrestrial)

Definition

Let $J$ be a point on Earth's surface that is not one of the two poles $N$ and $S$.

Let $\phi$ denote the latitude of $J$.

The colatitude of $J$ is the (spherical) angle $90 \degrees - \phi$, that is:

if $J$ is in the northern hemisphere of Earth, the colatitude is the (spherical) angle $\sphericalangle NOJ$

if $J$ is in the southern hemisphere of Earth, the colatitude is the (spherical) angle $\sphericalangle SOJ$.

Also see

• Definition:Colatitude (Celestial)

• Definition:Latitude (Terrestrial)
• Definition:Longitude (Terrestrial)

Sources

• 1976: W.M. Smart: Textbook on Spherical Astronomy (6th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $\text I$. Spherical Trigonometry: $4$. Terrestrial latitude and longitude.